Growth of the WW strain of Theiler virus in mouse central nervous system organotypic culture.

Myelinated organotypic cultures of mouse central nervous system (CNS) provide a favorable milieu for growth of the WW strain of Theiler virus (TV). WW-TV induced a cytopathic effect characterized by neuronal destruction and swelling of myelin sheaths. Tissue culture medium and homogenates of infected cultures produced neurologic disease in mice, and TV was demonstrated in cultures by indirect immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. Ultrastructurally, severe alterations in neurons and the presence of cytoplasmic inclusions containing paracrystalline arrays of 30-nm virus particles were evident in astrocytes. Demyelination appeared to be secondary to lysis of oligodendrocytes by virus. CNS organotypic cultures provide an environment for the study of TV-induced demyelination.