Murine coronavirus spike protein determines the ability of the virus to replicate in the liver and cause hepatitis.
Academic Article
Overview
abstract
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Recombinant mouse hepatitis viruses (MHV) differing only in the spike gene, containing A59, MHV-4, and MHV-2 spike genes in the background of the A59 genome, were compared for their ability to replicate in the liver and induce hepatitis in weanling C57BL/6 mice infected with 500 PFU of each virus by intrahepatic injection. Penn98-1, expressing the MHV-2 spike gene, replicated to high titer in the liver, similar to MHV-2, and induced severe hepatitis with extensive hepatocellular necrosis. S(A59)R13, expressing the A59 spike gene, replicated to a somewhat lower titer and induced moderate to severe hepatitis with zonal necrosis, similar to MHV-A59. S4R21, expressing the MHV-4 spike gene, replicated to a minimal extent and induced few if any pathological changes, similar to MHV-4. Thus, the extent of replication and the degree of hepatitis in the liver induced by these recombinant viruses were determined largely by the spike protein.
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