Keeping it in check: chronic viral infection and antiviral immunity in the brain

• Published in: Nature reviews. Neuroscience Vol. 17; no. 12; pp. 766 - 776
• Main Authors: Miller, Katelyn D, Schnell, Matthias J, Rall, Glenn F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 01.12.2016
• Subjects: Animals; Brain - immunology; Brain - metabolism; Brain - pathology; Cells; Central nervous system diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases - immunology; Central Nervous System Diseases - metabolism; Central Nervous System Diseases - pathology; Cytokines; Development and progression; Herpes viruses; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Immune response; Immunity, Innate - physiology; Immunology; Infections; Measles; Nervous system; Neural circuitry; Neurons; Neurons - immunology; Neurons - metabolism; Neurons - pathology; Neurosciences; Observations; Pathogens; Permeability; Proteins; RNA Virus Infections - immunology; RNA Virus Infections - metabolism; RNA Virus Infections - pathology; RNA Viruses - immunology; RNA Viruses - metabolism; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Viral infections; Virus diseases; West Nile virus; United States > US; Pennsylvania
• ISSN: 1471-003X; 1471-0048; 1469-3178
• DOI: 10.1038/nrn.2016.140

It is becoming clear that the manner by which the immune response resolves or contains infection by a pathogen varies according to the tissue that is affected. Unlike many peripheral cell types, CNS neurons are generally non-renewable. Thus, the cytolytic and inflammatory strategies that are effective in controlling infections in the periphery could be damaging if deployed in the CNS. Perhaps for this reason, the immune response to some CNS viral infections favours maintenance of neuronal integrity and non-neurolytic viral control. This modified immune response - when combined with the unique anatomy and physiology of the CNS - provides an ideal environment for the maintenance of viral genomes, including those of RNA viruses. Therefore, it is possible that such viruses can reactivate long after initial viral exposure, contributing to CNS disease.