Figure_5.tif (1.65 MB)

CHIKV Targets the Choroid Plexus and Meningeal Tissue but Does Not Affect the BBB Permeability in IFN-α/βR^−/− Mice

figure

posted on 2008-02-15, 02:14 authored by Thérèse Couderc, Fabrice Chrétien, Clémentine Schilte, Olivier Disson, Madly Brigitte, Florence Guivel-Benhassine, Yasmina Touret, Georges Barau, Nadège Cayet, Isabelle Schuffenecker, Philippe Desprès, Fernando Arenzana-Seisdedos, Alain Michault, Matthew L Albert, Marc Lecuit

Mice were infected with 20 PFU of CHIKV via the ID route and sacrificed at D3 pi. (A) Hematoxylin and eosin staining of brain shows a severe vacuolization of epithelial cells of the choroid plexuses (B) The amount of infectious virus present in isolated meninges and in the total brain was quantified by TCID50. Each data point represents the arithmetic mean ± SD for at least three mice (* p < 0.05). (C) Representative brain sections of both infected and mock-infected mice after intravenous injection of type VI HRP showing the integrity of the BBB by the absence of any leakage of the staining that remains sequestrated into blood vessels. As a positive control is shown the HRP leakage (arrowhead) induced by the neurotropic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans, which is known to disrupt the BBB integrity.