Immunity to polyomavirus infection: The polyomavirus-mouse model

Phillip A. Swanson, Aron E. Lukacher, Eva Szomolanyi-Tsuda

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

A ubiquitous clinically silent murine pathogen, polyomavirus has enjoyed long-term co-evolution with the mouse, a highly tractable and genetically and immunologically informative small animal model. Thus, polyomavirus has provided a valuable experimental construct to decipher the host immune mechanisms that come into play to control systemic low-level persistent viral infections. Impaired immunosurveillance for infected cells puts the murine host at risk both to injury resulting from excessive direct virus cytolysis and development of virus-induced tumors. In this review, we present our current understanding of the multifaceted immune response invoked by the mouse to maintain détente with this potentially deleterious persistent natural pathogen, and discuss implications of these studies for therapeutic interventions for human polyomavirus infection.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)244-251
Number of pages8
JournalSeminars in Cancer Biology
Volume19
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2009

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Cancer Research

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