Beschreibung:
(1) Background: Canine distemper virus (CDV)-induced demyelinating leukoencephalitis(CDV-DL) in dogs and Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis (TME) virus (TMEV)-induceddemyelinating leukomyelitis (TMEV-DL) are virus-induced demyelinating conditions mimickingMultiple Sclerosis (MS). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can induce the degradation of lipids and nucleicacids to characteristic metabolites such as oxidized lipids, malondialdehyde, and 8-hydroxyguanosine.The hypothesis of this study is that ROS are key eector molecules in the pathogenesis of myelinmembrane breakdown in CDV-DL and TMEV-DL. (2) Methods: ROS metabolites and antioxidativeenzymes were assessed using immunofluorescence in cerebellar lesions of naturally CDV-infecteddogs and spinal cord tissue of TMEV-infected mice. The transcription of selected genes involvedin ROS generation and detoxification was analyzed using gene-expression microarrays in CDV-DLand TMEV-DL. (3) Results: Immunofluorescence revealed increased amounts of oxidized lipids,malondialdehyde, and 8-hydroxyguanosine in CDV-DL while TMEV-infected mice did not revealmarked changes. In contrast, microarray-analysis showed an upregulated gene expression associatedwith ROS generation in both diseases. (4) Conclusion: In summary, the present study demonstratesa similar upregulation of gene-expression of ROS generation in CDV-DL and TMEV-DL. However,immunofluorescence revealed increased accumulation of ROS metabolites exclusively in CDV-DL.These results suggest dierences in the pathogenesis of demyelination in these two animal models.