Inducible nitric oxide synthase protection against Coxsackievirus pancreatitis

Coxsackievirus infection causes myocarditis and pancreatitis in humans. In certain strains of mice, Coxsackievirus causes a severe pancreatitis. We ex plored the role of NO in the host immune response to viral pancreatitis. Co xsackievirus replicates to higher titers in mice lacking NO synthase 2 (NOS 2) than in wild-type mice, with particularly high viral titers and viral RN A levels in the pancreas. Mice lacking NOS have a severe,necrotizing pancre atitis, with elevated pancreatic enzymes in the blood and necrotic acinar c ells. Lack of NOS2 leads to a rapid increase in the mortality of infected m ice. Thus, NOS2 is a critical component in the immune response to Coxsackie virus infection.