MSphere of Influence: Understanding Virus-Host Interactions Requires a Multifaceted Approach.

Rory D De Vries

doi:10.1128/msphere.00105-20

Abstract

Rory de Vries works in the field of viral pathogenesis and focuses on interactions between respiratory viruses (or corresponding vaccines) and the host immune system. In this mSphere of Influence article, he reflects on how the articles "Predominant infection of CD150+ lymphocytes and dendritic cells during measles virus infection of macaques" by R. L. de Swart et al. (R. L. de Swart, M. Ludlow, L. de Witte, Y. Yanagi, et al., PLoS Pathog 3:e178, 2007, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.0030178) and "Long-term measles-induced immunomodulation increases overall childhood infectious disease mortality" by M. J. Mina et al. (M. J. Mina, C. J. Metcalf, R. L. de Swart, A. D. M. E. Osterhaus, and B. T. Grenfell, Science 348:694-699, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa3662) made an impact on him. These articles studied interactions between measles virus and the host and influenced him by making two important points. (i) It is crucial to use nonadapted (recombinant) viruses in disease-relevant model systems when studying virus-host interactions. (ii) Studying viral pathogenesis requires a combination of in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo studies, and a group of researchers with multiple expertises. He learned that only when all these aspects are combined, can one truly answer the question: "How does a virus cause disease?"

Highlights

In 2007, 1 year before starting my Ph.D. on measles pathogenesis and immune suppression, R
This article was preceded by an inconsistency in the literature: according to the textbooks, measles virus (MeV) initially infected epithelial cells of the respiratory tract, followed by viremia predominantly mediated by monocytes
Neither of these cell types expressed the known cellular entry receptor for MeV: signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM, CD150) [2]. de Swart et al set out to address this inconsistency by performing in vivo studies in the only animal model that fully recapitulates measles in humans, nonhuman primates [3,4,5,6]

Summary

Introduction

In 2007, 1 year before starting my Ph.D. on measles pathogenesis and immune suppression, R. Nonhuman primates were inoculated with a recombinant wild-type-based measles virus (MeV) expressing a fluorescent reporter protein, and viral tropism and pathogenesis were studied. De Swart et al set out to address this inconsistency by performing in vivo studies in the only animal model that fully recapitulates measles in humans, nonhuman primates [3,4,5,6].

Results

Conclusion