Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus: invisible but not innocent

Abstract

Summary. -Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) attracts significant attention both as an important experimental model system to study acute and persistent viral infections, and as a neglected human pathogen of clinical significance. This review focuses on the basic aspects and recent advances in the molecular and cell biology of LCMV, the outcome of LCMV infection on its natural host with an emphasis on persistent infection and the outcome of LCMV infection in humans. Lastly, we summarize our contribution to current knowledge on LCM virus.Keywords: lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; LCMV infection; persistent infection; MX strain * Corresponding author. E-mail: jana.tomaskova@savba.sk; phone: +421-2-50932439. Abbreviations: agRNA = antigenome RNA; α-DG = alpha-dystroglycan; DIP = defective interfering particles; ESCRT = endosomal sorting complex required for transport; GP = glycoprotein; GPC = glycoprotein precursor; IGR = intergenic region; IL-10 = interleukin 10; K1 = keratin 1; LAG-3 = lymphocyte-activation protein 3; LCMV = lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; MHC = major histocompatibility complex; NP = nucleoprotein; PD-1 = programmed death-1; RNP = ribonucleoprotein; SSP = stable signal peptide; TIM-3 = T cell Ig-and mucin-domain-containing molecule 3; VHF = viral hemorrhagic fever

Isolation and genomic characterization of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus in ticks from northeastern China

“…Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM), caused by LCM virus (LCMV) of the family Arenaviridae , is considered as a neglected zoonotic disease (Laposova, Pastorekova, & Tomaskova, ). The virus is usually associated with mild, self‐limited or asymptomatic infections, but can result in aseptic meningitis in immunocompetent persons, and lead to serious systemic infection and death in immunocompromised patients (Macneil et al., ).…”

“…Prenatal infection may cause congenital malformations, microcephaly or abortion (Delaine et al., ). Humans can be infected by direct contact with infected rodents or contaminated fomites, inhalation of aerosolized virus, organ transplantation or by congenital infection (Bonthius, ; Laposova et al., ).…”

Development and application of ELISA for the detection of IgG antibodies to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus

“…Th e advantage of the LCMV strain MX is that it causes persistent infection of cells, and therefore provides cell lysates containing large amounts of antigen. Moreover, it does not form distinct virions released into the medium, and its transmission to uninfected cells in normoxia is mediated only by direct cell-cell contact (Reiserová et al, 1999;Laposova et al, 2013). Th is makes the handling of MX (and MX-infected cells) safer than handling other strains of LCMV.…”

Cell-to-cell transport in viral families: faster than usual

“…Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is an RNA virus causing rodent-transmitted persistent infections. It is an important experimental model system to study acute and persistent viral infections, and also a neglected human pathogen of clinical significance (Laposova et al, 2013). Specific strain MX establishes persistent infection without the yielding of infectious virus, using thus cell-to-cell contacts for dissemination.…”