DEVELOPMENT OF PATHOLOGICAL LESIONS IN THE CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM OF TRANSGENIC MICE EXPRESSING THE ENV GENE OF TS1 MOLONEY MURINE LEUKEMIA-VIRUS IN THE ABSENCE OF THE VIRAL GAG AND POL GENES AND VIRAL REPLICATION

The ts1 Moloney murine leukemia virus causes a degenerative neurologic disease in mice characterized by the development of noninflammatory s pongiform encephalomyelopathy. To determine whether gag and pal gene p roducts and viral replication are necessary for the ts1-env gene produ ct to cause neurodegeneration, we generated transgenic mice harboring only ts1-env. Neuropathological lesions were observed in mice expressi ng the transgene in the central nervous system. This implies that gag and pol gene products and viral replication are not necessary for ts1- env to cause a mild form of neurodegeneration in mice.