Immunological Dynamics in Murine Coronavirus Infection
Summary
Murine coronavirus infection, most commonly studied using the mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) model, offers critical insights into host–virus interactions and the orchestration of immune defences. Following intranasal or intracerebral inoculation, MHV initially engages epithelial cells before spreading to macrophages, microglia and hepatocytes. This early phase elicits rapid type I interferon production and local chemokine secretion, leading to the recruitment of neutrophils and monocytes. Natural killer cells further contain viral replication, while dendritic cells present viral antigens to T lymphocytes. CD8+ T cells play a central role in clearing infected cells, aided by CD4+ T-cell help and B-cell-derived neutralising antibodies. However, excessive cytokine production and immune cell infiltration can precipitate tissue damage, exemplified by MHV-induced hepatitis or demyelination in the central nervous system. Viral glycoprotein variation, particularly within the spike protein’s hypervariable region, modulates cell fusion and influences both viral spread and immunogenicity. The murine model thus delineates the fine balance between protective immunity and immunopathology, guiding strategies for antiviral therapies and informing our understanding of human coronavirus diseases.
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Immunological Dynamics in Murine Coronavirus Infection publication trend
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Technical terms
Cytokine: Small secreted protein released by immune cells that modulates inflammation and cell communication.
Type I interferon: Family of cytokines that induce antiviral states in host cells and regulate innate immune responses.
Hypervariable region (HVR): Segment of a viral protein subject to high sequence variation, influencing antigenicity and function.
Cell fusion: Process by which viral glycoproteins mediate the merging of host cell membranes to form multinucleated cells.
Adaptive immunity: Antigen-specific defence mediated by B and T lymphocytes, involving memory formation.
References
- Reduction of Cell Fusion by Deletion in the Hypervariable Region of the Spike Protein of Mouse Hepatitis Virus. Viruses (2022).
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