scholarly journals Pre- and peri-implantation Zika virus infection impairs fetal development by targeting trophectoderm cells

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Tan ◽  
Lauretta A. Lacko ◽  
Ting Zhou ◽  
Delia Tomoiaga ◽  
Romulo Hurtado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
System Development ◽  
Neural Progenitor Cell ◽  
Nervous System Development ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Neural Lineage ◽  
Trophectoderm Cells ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Zika virus (ZIKV) infection results in an increased risk of spontaneous abortion and poor intrauterine growth although the underlying mechanisms remain undetermined. Little is known about the impact of ZIKV infection during the earliest stages of pregnancy, at pre- and peri-implantation, because most current ZIKV pregnancy studies have focused on post-implantation stages. Here, we demonstrate that trophectoderm cells of pre-implantation human and mouse embryos can be infected with ZIKV, and propagate virus causing neural progenitor cell death. These findings are corroborated by the dose-dependent nature of ZIKV susceptibility of hESC-derived trophectoderm cells. Single blastocyst RNA-seq reveals key transcriptional changes upon ZIKV infection, including nervous system development, prior to commitment to the neural lineage. The pregnancy rate of mice is >50% lower in pre-implantation infection than infection at E4.5, demonstrating that pre-implantation ZIKV infection leads to miscarriage. Cumulatively, these data elucidate a previously unappreciated association of pre- and peri-implantation ZIKV infection and microcephaly.

scholarly journals Neurodevelopment in Children Exposed to Zika Virus: What Are the Consequences for Children Who Do Not Present with Microcephaly at Birth?

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1427
Author(s):  
Paula Sobral da Silva ◽  
Sophie Eickmann ◽  
Ricardo Ximenes ◽  
Celina Martelli ◽  
Elizabeth Brickley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neurological Examination ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Control Group ◽  
P Value ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Clinical Neurological Examination ◽  
Cognitive Delay ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Impairment ◽  
The Impact

The relation of Zika virus (ZIKV) with microcephaly is well established. However, knowledge is lacking on later developmental outcomes in children with evidence of maternal ZIKV infection during pregnancy born without microcephaly. The objective of this analysis is to investigate the impact of prenatal exposure to ZIKV on neuropsychomotor development in children without microcephaly. We evaluated 274 children including 235 ZIKV exposed and 39 controls using the Bayley-III Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSIDIII) and neurological examination. We observed a difference in cognition with a borderline p-value (p = 0.052): 9.4% of exposed children and none of the unexposed control group had mild to moderate delays. The prevalence of delays in the language and motor domains did not differ significantly between ZIKV-exposed and unexposed children (language: 12.3% versus 12.8%; motor: 4.7% versus 2.6%). Notably, neurological examination results were predictive of neurodevelopmental delays in the BSIDIII assessments for exposed children: 46.7% of children with abnormalities on clinical neurological examination presented with delay in contrast to 17.8% among exposed children without apparent neurological abnormalities (p = 0.001). Overall, our findings suggest that relative to their unexposed peers, ZIKV-exposed children without microcephaly are not at considerably increased risk of neurodevelopmental impairment in the first 42 months of life, although a small group of children demonstrated higher frequencies of cognitive delay. It is important to highlight that in the group of exposed children, an abnormal neuroclinical examination may be a predictor of developmental delay. The article contributes to practical guidance and advances our knowledge about congenital Zika.

Exogenous Neonatal Erythropoietin Mitigates Brain Damage After a Combination of Prenatal Hypoxic-Ischemia and Lipopolysaccharide Inflammation in Rats

2008 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. A353
Author(s):  
Shenandoah Robinson ◽  
Qing Li
Keyword(s):  
Brain Damage ◽  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
System Development ◽  
Intrauterine Infection ◽  
Artery Occlusion ◽  
Nervous System Development ◽  
Human Infants ◽  
Hypoxic Ischemia ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
The Impact

Introduction Many infants born very preterm who suffer brain damage most likely experienced a combined insult from intrauterine infection and placental insufficiency. Damage is thought to be synergistic rather than additive but the mechanisms of combined injury remain elusive. A combination of lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation and hypoxia-ischemia has been used in rats to model the dual insult that occurs in human infants prenatally. Erythropoietin, a pleiotrophic cytokine that is essential for central nervous system development, ameliorates brain injury after isolated hypoxic-ischemic or inflammatory insults through different intracellular signaling pathways. We hypothesized that exogenous neonatal EPO administration would lessen the damage of a combined prenatal insult in rats. Methods On embryonic Day 18 fetal rats experienced 60 minutes of transient uterine artery occlusion with or without intracervical LPS administration with sham controls receiving surgery but no occlusion and saline for LPS. Survival was recorded and histological biochemical and functional assays were performed. Means were compared with ANOVA with Tukey HSD post hoc analysis. Results After a combined insult of HI and 0.15-mg/kg LPS on E18 the survival of pups by postnatal Day 1 (P1) decreased from 77% with HI alone to 22% for LPS plus HI. When exogenous systemic EPO was administered P1–P3 survival to P9 improved markedly from 40% (2 of 5) for saline-treated insult pups to 100% (6 of 6) for EPO-treated. Initial histological analyses show EPO decreases the number of brain activated caspase 3 and activated microglia by P9. Additional analyses will be presented. Conclusion As at least 60% of placentas from infants born pre-term show evidence of chorioamnionitis, assessment of the impact of exogenous EPO on a model of a combination injury is essential prior to proceeding with a clinical trial. Initial results indicate neonatal exogenous EPO mitigates damage from the combined insult.

scholarly journals Neurotrophins as Key Regulators of Cell Metabolism: Implications for Cholesterol Homeostasis

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5692
Author(s):  
Mayra Colardo ◽  
Noemi Martella ◽  
Daniele Pensabene ◽  
Silvia Siteni ◽  
Sabrina Di Bartolomeo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Factors ◽  
Cholesterol Metabolism ◽  
System Development ◽  
Cell Metabolism ◽  
Redox Balance ◽  
Nervous System Development ◽  
Cholesterol Homeostasis ◽  
Signaling Cascades ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
The Impact

Neurotrophins constitute a family of growth factors initially characterized as predominant mediators of nervous system development, neuronal survival, regeneration and plasticity. Their biological activity is promoted by the binding of two different types of receptors, leading to the generation of multiple and variegated signaling cascades in the target cells. Increasing evidence indicates that neurotrophins are also emerging as crucial regulators of metabolic processes in both neuronal and non-neuronal cells. In this context, it has been reported that neurotrophins affect redox balance, autophagy, glucose homeostasis and energy expenditure. Additionally, the trophic support provided by these secreted factors may involve the regulation of cholesterol metabolism. In this review, we examine the neurotrophins’ signaling pathways and their effects on metabolism by critically discussing the most up-to-date information. In particular, we gather experimental evidence demonstrating the impact of these growth factors on cholesterol metabolism.

scholarly journals Risk of sexually transmitted Zika virus in a cohort of economically disadvantaged urban residents

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan P Aguilar Ticona ◽  
Huma Baig ◽  
Nivison Nery Jr. ◽  
Simon Doss-Gollin ◽  
Gielson A Sacramento ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Disease Burden ◽  
Urban Community ◽  
Urban Residents ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Retrospective Survey ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Increased Risk

Abstract In order to understand the disease burden of sexually transmitted Zika virus (ZIKV), we prospectively followed a cohort of 359 adult and adolescent residents of an urban community in Salvador, Brazil through the 2015 ZIKV epidemic. Later, in 2017, we used a retrospective survey to associate sexual behavior during the epidemic with ZIKV infection as defined by IgG3-NS1 ELISA. We found that males who engaged in casual sexual encounters during the epidemic were more likely (ORa=6.2; 95%CI 1.2–64.1) to be ZIKV positive, suggesting that specific groups may be at increased risk of sexually transmitted infections.

scholarly journals From Mosquito Bites to Sexual Transmission: Evaluating Mouse Models of Zika Virus Infection

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2244
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Balint ◽  
Amelia Montemarano ◽  
Emily Feng ◽  
Ali A. Ashkar
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Models ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Male To Female

Following the recent outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) infections in Latin America, ZIKV has emerged as a global health threat due to its ability to induce neurological disease in both adults and the developing fetus. ZIKV is largely mosquito-borne and is now endemic in many parts of Africa, Asia, and South America. However, several reports have demonstrated persistent ZIKV infection of the male reproductive tract and evidence of male-to-female sexual transmission of ZIKV. Sexual transmission may broaden the reach of ZIKV infections beyond its current geographical limits, presenting a significant threat worldwide. Several mouse models of ZIKV infection have been developed to investigate ZIKV pathogenesis and develop effective vaccines and therapeutics. However, the majority of these models focus on mosquito-borne infection, while few have considered the impact of sexual transmission on immunity and pathogenesis. This review will examine the advantages and disadvantages of current models of mosquito-borne and sexually transmitted ZIKV and provide recommendations for the effective use of ZIKV mouse models.

scholarly journals Zika Virus Pathogenesis: From Early Case Reports to Epidemics

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan D. Pardy ◽  
Martin J. Richer
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Viral Persistence ◽  
The Body ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Congenital Zika Syndrome ◽  
Early Case ◽  
The Impact

For the first 60 years following its isolation, Zika virus (ZIKV) remained a relatively poorly described member of the Flaviviridae family. However, since 2007, it has caused a series of increasingly severe outbreaks and is now associated with neurological symptoms such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). A number of reports have improved our understanding of rare complications that may be associated with ZIKV infection in adults, the areas of the body to which it spreads, and viral persistence in various tissues. Likewise, studies on the effect of ZIKV infection during pregnancy have identified risk factors for CZS and the impact this syndrome has on early childhood. Understanding these outcomes and the factors that drive ZIKV pathogenesis are key to developing vaccination and therapeutic approaches to avoid these severe and potentially debilitating symptoms.

scholarly journals 2801. Post-Natal Zika Virus Infection and Impact on Neurodevelopment Among a Cohort of Children in Rural Guatemala

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S990-S991
Author(s):  
Daniel Olson ◽  
Molly Lamb ◽  
Amy Connery ◽  
Kathryn Colborn ◽  
Muktha S Natrajan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Receptive Language ◽  
Fine Motor ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Material Support ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Research Grant

Abstract Background The impact of early post-natal Zika virus (ZIKV) infection on neurodevelopment (ND) is unknown. A prospective study of post-natal ZIKV infection in rural Guatemala (ZIKV study) enrolled a cohort of children ages 1–5 years, including children previously enrolled in a dengue virus (DENV) study during the 2015–2016 ZIKV epidemic. We evaluated ND outcomes by age and ZIKV infection status. Methods Subjects enrolled in the ZIKV study June 2017–April 2018 underwent ND testing using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) at baseline and 12 months later. ZIKV/DENV-1/2 FRNT50 was performed on enrollment and on banked serum samples from the 2015 to 2016 subset. ZIKV serostatus and MSEL scores were correlated using multiple linear mixed models, adjusted for age and gender when appropriate, to evaluate their association. Geolocation was used to explore clustering of ZIKV serostatus and MSEL score. Results We enrolled 183 children (43% female, mean age 3.2 years). Of these, 38 (21%) were classified as ZIKV-positive (+), 111 (61%) ZIKV-negative (-), 31 (17%) ZIKV-possible, and 3 (2%) ZIKV-indeterminate. ZIKV(+) cases and higher composite MSEL scores clustered in more densely populated areas (Figure 1). ZIKV(+) serostatus was associated with higher MSEL composite (increase in log score 0.09, P = 0.003) and subdomain scores: fine motor (0.13, P = 0.011), visual reception (0.15, P = 0.002), receptive language (0.09, P = 0.041), gross motor (0.14, P = 0.09), and expressive language (0.09, P = 0.058) (Figure 2). Of the 78 children (43%) with 2015–2016 samples, 46 (59%) remained ZIKV(−), 16 (21%) seroconverted from ZIKV(−) or possible/indeterminate to ZIKV(+), and 16 (21%) were indeterminate when enrolled in the ZIKV study. ZIKV seroconversion was associated with higher composite (0.13, P = 0.02) MSEL scores compared with ZIKV(−). Conclusion In this exploratory analysis, post-natal ZIKV infection was not associated with adverse ND outcomes in children age 1–5 years. Overall, ZIKV(+) status was associated with higher average ND scores than ZIKV(−), and scores decreased with age for most children, independent of ZIKV status. The correlation of ZIKV(+) status and higher MSEL scores may be confounded by geographic-related factors or other confounders. NIAID Contract HHSN272201300015I Task Order HHSN27200013 (Co-PIs: FMM & EJA). Disclosures Flor M. Munoz, M.D, Biocryst: Grant/Research Support; CDC: Research Grant; Moderna: Other Financial or Material Support, Safety Monitoring Board Member/Chair; NIH: Research Grant; Novavax: Research Grant; UP to Date: Author and Editor - Royalties, Other Financial or Material Support.

Relationship of maternal high-fat diet during pregnancy and lactation to offspring health

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kinga Gawlińska ◽  
Dawid Gawliński ◽  
Małgorzata Filip ◽  
Edmund Przegaliński
Keyword(s):  
High Fat Diet ◽  
Maternal Nutrition ◽  
System Development ◽  
Maternal Diet ◽  
Nervous System Development ◽  
High Fat ◽  
Preclinical Research ◽  
Intrauterine Development ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Pregnancy And Lactation

Abstract A balanced maternal diet is essential for proper fetal development, and the consumption of a nutritionally inadequate diet during intrauterine development and early childhood is associated with a significantly increased risk of metabolic and brain disorders in offspring. The current literature indicates that maternal exposure to a high-fat diet exerts an irreversible influence on the general health of the offspring. This review of preclinical research examines the relationship between a maternal high-fat diet during pregnancy or lactation and metabolic changes, molecular alterations in the brain, and behavioral disorders in offspring. Animal models indicate that offspring exposed to a maternal high-fat diet during pregnancy and lactation manifest increased depressive-like and aggressive behaviors, reduced cognitive development, and symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Recently, epigenetic and molecular studies have shown that maternal nutrition during pregnancy and the suckling period modifies the development of neurotransmitter circuits and many other factors important to central nervous system development. This finding confirms the importance of a balanced maternal diet for the health of offspring.

scholarly journals Embryotoxic impact of Zika virus in a rhesus macaque in vitro implantation model†

2020 ◽  
Vol 102 (4) ◽  
pp. 806-816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsey N Block ◽  
Matthew T Aliota ◽  
Thomas C Friedrich ◽  
Michele L Schotzko ◽  
Katherine D Mean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rhesus Macaque ◽  
Pregnancy Outcomes ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Culture Media ◽  
Blastocyst Formation ◽  
Placental Development ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in humans, and infection in the first trimester can lead to miscarriage and stillbirth. Vertical and sexual transmissions of ZIKV have been demonstrated, yet the impact of infection during the initial stages of pregnancy remains unexplored. Here we defined the impact of ZIKV on early embryonic and placental development with a rhesus macaque model. During in vitro fertilization (IVF), macaque gametes were inoculated with a physiologically relevant dose of 5.48log10 plaque-forming units (PFU) of Zika virus/H.sapiens-tc/PUR/2015/PRVABC59_v3c2. Exposure at fertilization did not alter blastocyst formation rates compared to controls. To determine the impact of ZIKV exposure at implantation, hatched blastocysts were incubated with 3.26log10, 4.26log10, or 5.26log10 PFU, or not exposed to ZIKV, followed by extended embryo culture for 10 days. ZIKV exposure negatively impacted attachment, growth, and survival in comparison to controls, with exposure to 5.26log10 PFU ZIKV resulting in embryonic degeneration by day 2. Embryonic secretion of pregnancy hormones was lower in ZIKV-exposed embryos. Increasing levels of infectious virus were detected in the culture media post-exposure, suggesting that the trophectoderm is susceptible to productive ZIKV infection. These results demonstrate that ZIKV exposure severely impacts the zona-free blastocyst, whereas exposure at the time of fertilization does not hinder blastocyst formation. Overall, early stages of pregnancy may be profoundly sensitive to infection and pregnancy loss, and the negative impact of ZIKV infection on pregnancy outcomes may be underestimated.

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