Retrovirus induced motor neuron degeneration.

Neurotropic retroviruses are capable of infecting and altering the function of dividing populations of neuron-like cells such as the PC-12 cell line. However, histological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural studies have failed to implicate direct infection of neurons by MuLV as the etiologic mechanism responsible for MuLV induced neurodegenerative disease. Indirect mechanisms such as the physical or biochemical disruption of endothelial cell basement membranes or the production of toxic cytokines by virus infected cells may play a role in the development of retrovirus induced neurodegeneration.