Exogenous Expression of Equine MHC Class I Molecules in Mice Increases Susceptibility to Equine Herpesvirus 1 Pulmonary Infection.
Authors: Minato Erina, Aoshima Keisuke, Kobayashi Atsushi, Ohnishi Naomi, Sasaki Nobuya, Kimura Takashi
Journal: Veterinary pathology
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Equine MHC Class I and EHV-1 Susceptibility Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) exploits equine major histocompatibility complex class I molecules as a cellular entry receptor, a mechanism previously demonstrated in laboratory cell cultures but not yet validated in living animals. Researchers created transgenic mice expressing equine MHC class I under a constitutive promoter, then compared their response to intranasal EHV-1 infection against wild-type controls. Transgenic animals developed significantly more severe bronchiolar epithelial necrosis and harboured substantially higher numbers of virus antigen-positive cells within lung tissue compared to unmodified mice, despite both groups developing pneumonia by day three post-infection. This work provides in vivo evidence that equine MHC class I directly mediates EHV-1 susceptibility and suggests that cellular tropism for respiratory epithelium may be particularly important during acute infection. For equine practitioners, these findings reinforce the critical role of innate immune barriers and epithelial integrity in controlling EHV-1 dissemination, potentially informing future vaccine and therapeutic strategies aimed at blocking viral attachment or enhancing mucosal defences in susceptible respiratory tissues.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •This research clarifies the cellular mechanism of EHV-1 infection at the molecular level, which may inform future therapeutic targets for preventing or reducing severity of herpesvirus respiratory disease in horses
- •Understanding that equine MHC class I is the critical viral entry receptor could guide development of blocking antibodies or receptor antagonists as preventive interventions
- •The differential severity of infection based on receptor expression suggests genetic variation in MHC Class I among horses may influence individual susceptibility to EHV-1 disease severity
Key Findings
- •Equine MHC class I expression in transgenic mice increased susceptibility to EHV-1 infection compared to wild-type controls
- •Transgenic mice showed more severe bronchiolar epithelial necrosis 3 days post-infection than wild-type mice
- •Virus antigen-positive cells were significantly higher in lung tissue of transgenic mice expressing equine MHC class I
- •Equine MHC class I serves as a functional entry receptor for EHV-1 in vivo