Abstract

The protective effect of pretreatment with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on stress-enhanced viral encephalitis was studied in mice exposed to cold following inoculation with West Nile virus (WNV). Exposure of WNV-inoculated mice to cold water (1 +/- 0.5 degrees C, 5 minutes/day for 8 days) resulted in a mortality rate of 83% as compared to 50% in nonstressed mice (p < 0.05). The effect of cold stress was more pronounced when mice were inoculated with WN-25, a noninvasive neurovirulent variant of WNV. Mice infected with WN-25 showed no mortality, whereas cold stressed mice inoculated with the same virus had a mortality rate of 67% (p < 0.05). The administration of DHEA (serial injections of 10-20 mg/kg with or without a loading dose of 1 gm/kg) resulted in a significant reduction in the mortality rate of stressed mice inoculated with either virus (p < 0.05). Virus levels in the blood and brain of the DHEA-treated mice, were significantly lower than in the control groups. DHEA also prevented the involution of lymphoid organs in stressed mice. The present study provides direct evidence of the protective effects of DHEA as an "anti-stress" agent. Its ability to prevent mortality associated with WNV or WN-25, and involution of lymphoid organs caused by stress-induced immunosuppression, supports the notion that its activity is based on the modulation of the host response.

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.