Published in:
01-12-2012 | Short Communication
Perivascular inflammatory cells in ovine Visna/maedi encephalitis and their possible role in virus infection and lesion progression
Authors:
Laura Polledo, Jorge González, Julio Benavides, Beatriz Martínez-Fernández, Ma. Carmen Ferreras, Juan F. García Marín
Published in:
Journal of NeuroVirology
|
Issue 6/2012
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Abstract
We examined the distribution in the perivascular spaces of Visna/maedi antigen, T cells (CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+), B cells and macrophages by immunohistochemistry in 22 natural cases of Visna/maedi encephalitis. Sheep showed lymphocytic or histiocytic lesions. In mild lymphocytic lesions, the viral antigen was detected in perivascular cuffs where CD8+ T cells predominated, but in severe lymphocytic lesions, sparse antigen was identified, and CD8+/CD4+ T cells appeared in a similar proportion in multilayer perivascular sleeves. In histiocytic lesions, vessels were surrounded by macrophages with abundant viral antigen, with CD8+/CD4+ T cells and B cells in the periphery. These results could reflect different stages of virus neuroinvasion and clarify the neuropathogenesis of Visna/maedi encephalitis.