Key message
Viral encephalitis can cause seizures and epilepsy that can be life threatening. The roles of microglia, the brain-resident innate immune cells, versus invasion of bloodborne immune cells such as monocytes in viral encephalitis induced seizures are not well characterized. Here we show that lack of the chemokine receptors CCR2 or CX3CR1, which regulate the responses of monocytes and microglia, prevents hippocampal damage but not seizure development in a mouse model of viral encephalitis.
Translational perspective
Treatment strategies aimed at inhibiting peripheral immune cells from entering the brain during encephalitis could reduce brain damage.