FIGURE 6.

A proposed model describing the mechanism of PyV-mediated kidney allograft injury. As we have demonstrated, direct viral cytopathology of PyV infection alone is insufficient to cause irreversible graft injury in mice. Likewise, it is well established in the literature that mice tolerate an allogeneic kidney transplant, suggesting that alloimmune-mediated injury alone is also insufficient for acute kidney rejection. However, when this alloimmune injury encounters the PyV-induced inflammation of the kidney, the response is boosted, and the kidney is now rejected.