Imunocompetent Mice Model for Dengue Virus Infection

• Published in: TheScientificWorld 2012-01, Vol.2012 (2012), p.1-12
• Main Authors: Gonçalves, Denise, de Queiroz Prado, Rafael, Almeida Xavier, Eric, Cristina de Oliveira, Natália, da Matta Guedes, Paulo Marcos, da Silva, João Santana, Moraes Figueiredo, Luiz Tadeu, Aquino, Victor Hugo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal models; Animals; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Cytokines; Cytokines - immunology; Dengue - immunology; Dengue - pathology; Dengue fever; Dengue Virus - genetics; Dengue Virus - isolation & purification; Disease Models, Animal; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Hemorrhage; Immunocompetence; Infectious diseases; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Organs; Pathogenesis; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Spleen; Spleen - immunology; Spleen - pathology; Vaccines; Vector-borne diseases; Viral diseases; Viral Load; Viruses
• ISSN: 2356-6140; 1537-744X; 1537-744X
• DOI: 10.1100/2012/525947

Dengue fever is a noncontagious infectious disease caused by dengue virus (DENV). DENV belongs to the family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, and is classified into four antigenically distinct serotypes: DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4. The number of nations and people affected has increased steadily and today is considered the most widely spread arbovirus (arthropod-borne viral disease) in the world. The absence of an appropriate animal model for studying the disease has hindered the understanding of dengue pathogenesis. In our study, we have found that immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice infected intraperitoneally with DENV-1 presented some signs of dengue disease such as thrombocytopenia, spleen hemorrhage, liver damage, and increase in production of IFNγ and TNFα cytokines. Moreover, the animals became viremic and the virus was detected in several organs by real-time RT-PCR. Thus, this animal model could be used to study mechanism of dengue virus infection, to test antiviral drugs, as well as to evaluate candidate vaccines.