engleski

Cytomegalovirus infection in adult balb/c mice with respect to sex differences

It is well documented that sex-dependent factors affect susceptibility to numerous viral infections causing different modes of immune response. Nevertheless, the mechanisms of these differences in infection susceptibility have remained unsolved. To detect differences between the males and females with respect to cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, we characterized the course of acute infection in BALB/c mice. Age matched male and female mice were intravenously infected with murine CMV (MCMV) and sacrificed each day from day 1 to day10 post infection. Viral titers were analyzed by standard plaque assay, while viral spread was examined using immunohistochemistry. In liver of female mice we noticed biphasic course of productive infection, whereas such biphasic course was not observed in livers of male mice. Although in spleen and adrenal glands this phenomena was not present, the kinetic of MCMV infection in the spleen was similar in both gender, reaching the peak at day 4 post infection. Contrary, viral titer in adrenal glands of male mice showed similar kinetic, but lower viral load in comparison to their female counterparts. The great difference in MCMV infection was noticed between the gonads. Since MCMV readily colonized ovaries during progesterone phase of estrous cycle, the same dose of infectious virus did not lead to productive infection of testicles. Our data provide a new aspect of MCMV pathogenesis and its dependency to sex steroid environment. These findings could arise the better understanding of the mechanisms determining susceptibility to CMV infection.

MCMV; Balb/c; sex difference

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