Absence of relationship between type-I interferon suppression and neuropathogenicity of EHV-1.

This research examines whether there is a link between the neuropathogenic genotype of the Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) variant and the host cell’s immunological response, specifically its type-I interferon (IFN) response. The findings revealed no association between the neuropathogenic genotype of EHV-1 and the induced IFN-β mRNA by the host cell.

Objective of the Research

• The primary goal of this study was to ascertain whether there’s a direct correlation between the neuropathogenic genotype of Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) and the host cell’s type-I interferon (IFN) response.

Methodology

• The researchers compared the extent of the EHV-1 virus cell-to-cell transmission in equine endothelial cells (EECs) affected by 10 distinct EHV-1 strains.
• They further compared IFN-β and the overall type-I IFN protein suppression between two EHV strains, one EHV-1 strain (T953) that is neuropathogenic and another EHV-4 strain (T445), primarily associated only with respiratory disease.

Results

• The findings revealed no correlation between the neuropathogenic genotype of EHV-1 and the induction of IFN-β mRNA by the host cell.
• The data showed no statistically significant discrepancy in the sizes of the plaques produced by both genotypes of EHV-1 in EECs.
• Nevertheless, EHV-1 strain T953 managed to suppress IFN-β mRNA and type-I IFN biological activity 12 hours post-infection, while EHV-4 mildly induced IFN-β mRNA and type-I IFN biological activity.
• This outcome correlated with a statistically significant difference in the mean plaque sizes produced by the two EHV subtypes in EECs.

Conclusion

• The research revealed how EHV-1, irrespective of its genotype, circumvents the host cell’s innate immune response, thereby facilitating viral spread to susceptible cells.