February 2000, Volume 6, Issue 1, Pages 89 - 93

Short Communication

Analysis of the Fv1 alleles involved in the susceptibility of mice to lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus-induced polioencephalomyelitis Philippe Monteyne1,3, Pierre G Coulie2 & Jean-Paul Coutelier1 1Experimental Medicine Unit, Christian de Duve Institute of Cellular Pathology, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium     2Cellular Genetics Unit, Christian de Duve Institute of Cellular Pathology, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium     Correspondence to: J-P Coutelier, Experimental Medicine Unit, Christian de Duve Institute of Cellular Pathology, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium     3Current address: SmithKline Beecham Biologicals, 1330 Rixensart, Belgium

Keywords

lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus;   gene;   polioencephalomyelitis;   retrovirus

Abstract

Development of polioencephalomyelitis in mice infected with lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV) requires expression of N-tropic ecotropic MuLV retroviruses. 129/Sv mice are resistant to N-tropic MuLV expression and therefore do not develop LDV-induced polioencephalomyelitis. The Fv1 gene determines the susceptibility to retrovirus replication. We sequenced the open reading frame of the Fv1nr allele of 129/Sv mice. It differs by only one nucleotide, modifying one amino acid in the encoded protein, from the Fv1n allele of susceptible AKR and C58 animals. We excluded that the resistance of 129/Sv mice to LDV-induced polioencephalomyelitis resulted from the absence of endogenous N-tropic retrovirus, by infecting (129/Sv×C58/J) F1 animals. Therefore it is possible that the amino acid that defines the Fv1nr allele is responsible for resistance of 129/Sv mice to N-tropic MuLV expression and to LDV-induced polioencephalomyelitis. Journal of NeuroVirology (2000) 6, 89 - 93.

Received 14 June 1999; Revised 2 August 1999; Accepted 8 September 1999

^© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2000