Pregnancy, the placenta and Zika virus (ZIKV) infection

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 170 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Rawlinson
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Yellow Fever Virus ◽  
West African ◽  
Structural Proteins ◽  
South American ◽  
East African ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis ◽  
The Family ◽  
Asian Lineage

Zika virus (ZIKV) infections have been recognised in Africa and Asia since 1940. The virus is in the family Flaviviridae and genus Flavivirus, along with Dengue, Japanese encephalitis virus, Tick borne encephalitis, West Nile virus, and Yellow fever virus. These viruses share biological characteristics of an envelope, icosahedral nucleocapsid, and a non-segmented, positive sense, single-strand RNA genome of ~10kb encoding three structural proteins (capsid C pre-membrane/membrane PrM/M, envelope E), and seven non-structural proteins (NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B and NS5). ZIKV has three known genotypes; the West African (Nigerian cluster), East African (MR766 prototype cluster), and Asian strains. Virus sequencing from the most recent South American outbreak suggests this virus is related to the 2013 French Polynesian isolates of Asian lineage.

scholarly journals Asian lineage of Zika virus RNA pseudoknot may induce ribosomal frameshift and produce a new neuroinvasive protein ZIKV-NS1’

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiago Tambonis ◽  
Vinícius G. Contessoto ◽  
Cíntia Bittar ◽  
Marília F. Calmon ◽  
Maurício L. Nogueira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Ns1 Protein ◽  
Ribosomal Frameshift ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Potential Target ◽  
Virus Rna ◽  
Alternative Protein ◽  
Asian Lineage ◽  
Rna Pseudoknot

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a threat to humanity, and understanding its neuroinvasiveness is a major challenge. Microcephaly observed in neonates in Brazil is associated with ZIKV that belongs to the Asian lineage. What distinguishes the neuroinvasiveness between the RNA lineages from Asia and Africa is still unknown. Here we identify an aspect that may explain the different behavior between the two lineages. The distinction between the two groups is the occurrence of an alternative protein NS1’ (ZIKV-NS1’), which happens through a pseudoknot in the virus RNA that induces a ribosomal frameshift. Presence of NS1’ protein is also observed in other Flavivirus that are neuroinvasive, and when NS1’ production issuppressed, neuroinvasiveness is reduced.1 This evidence gives grounds to suggest that the ZIKV-NS1’ occurring in the Asian lineage is responsible for neuro-tropism, which causes the neuro-pathologies associated with ZIKV infection, of which microcephaly is the most dev astating. The existence of ZIKV-NS1’, which only exists in the Asian lineage, was inferred through bioinformatic methods, and it has yet to be experimentally observed. If its occurrence is confirmed, it will be a potential target in fighting the neuro-diseases associated with ZIKV.

scholarly journals Host-Directed Antivirals: a Realistic Alternative to Fight Zika Virus

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan-Carlos Saiz ◽  
Nereida Jiménez de Oya ◽  
Ana-Belén Blázquez ◽  
Estela Escribano-Romero ◽  
Miguel A. Martín-Acebes
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Antiviral Activity ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Structural Proteins ◽  
Great Effort ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Rapid Spread ◽  
Viral Components ◽  
Specific Antiviral Therapy

Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, was an almost neglected pathogen until its introduction in the Americas in 2015, where it has been responsible for a threat to global health, causing a great social and sanitary alarm due to its increased virulence, rapid spread, and an association with severe neurological and ophthalmological complications. Currently, no specific antiviral therapy against ZIKV is available, and treatments are palliative and mainly directed to symptoms relief, such as fever and rash, by administering antipyretics, anti-histamines, and fluids for dehydration. Nevertheless, lately, a great effort has been made to search for antiviral candidates using different approaches and methodologies, ranging from repurposing of specific compounds with known antiviral activity to the screening of libraries and of natural compounds. The identified antiviral candidates include drugs targeting viral components (structural proteins and enzymes), as well as cellular ones. Here, we present an updated review of current knowledge about anti-ZIKV strategies, focusing on host-directed antivirals as a realistic alternative to combat ZIKV infection.

Post-Vaccination Yellow Fever Antibodies Enhance Zika Virus Infection in Embryoid Bodies

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily R. Schultz ◽  
Tyanthony J. Jones ◽  
Kelli L. Barr
Keyword(s):  
Cell Line ◽  
Yellow Fever ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Yellow Fever Virus ◽  
Embryoid Body ◽  
Embryoid Bodies ◽  
Post Inoculation ◽  
Culture Methods ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
The Impact

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a flavivirus that originated in Africa but emerged in Latin America in 2015. In this region, other flaviviruses such as Dengue (DENV), West Nile, and Yellow Fever Virus (YFV) also circulate, allowing for possible antigenic cross-reactivity to impact viral infections and immune responses. Studies have found antibody mediated enhancement between DENV and ZIKV, but the impact of YFV antibodies on ZIKV infection has not been fully explored. ZIKV infections cause congenital syndromes, such as microcephaly, necessitating further research into ZIKV vertical transmission through the placental barrier. Recent advancements in biomedical engineering have generated co-culture methods that allow for in vitro recapitulation of the maternal: fetal interface. This study utilized a transwell assay, which is a co-culture model utilizing human placental syncytiotrophoblasts, fetal umbilical cells, and a differentiating embryoid body to replicate the maternal: fetal axis. To determine if cross reactive YFV vaccine antibodies impact the pathogenesis of ZIKV across the maternal fetal axis, maternal syncytiotrophoblasts were inoculated with ZIKV or ZIKV incubated with YFV vaccine anti-sera, and viral load was measured 72 hours post inoculation. The data show that the impact of YFV on ZIKV replication is cell line dependent. In differentiating embryoids, the presence of YFV antibodies enhanced ZIKV infection. Since viral pathogenesis, and the impact of antigenic cross-reactive antibodies, is cell line specific at the maternal-fetal axis, this suggests there may be discreet mechanisms that impact congenital ZIKV infections.

Phylogenetic analysis of Trypanosoma vivax supports the separation of South American/West African from East African isolates and a new T. vivax-like genotype infecting a nyala antelope from Mozambique

Parasitology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 135 (11) ◽  
pp. 1317-1328 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. RODRIGUES ◽  
L. NEVES ◽  
H. A. GARCIA ◽  
L. B. VIOLA ◽  
A. MARCILI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
East Africa ◽  
Genetic Divergence ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
West African ◽  
South American ◽  
Trypanosoma Vivax ◽  
East African ◽  
Rdna Sequences ◽  
New Genotype ◽  
Morphological And Molecular Data

SUMMARYIn this study, we addressed the phylogenetic and taxonomic relationships of Trypanosoma vivax and related trypanosomes nested in the subgenus Duttonella through combined morphological and phylogeographical analyses. We previously demonstrated that the clade T. vivax harbours a homogeneous clade comprising West African/South American isolates and the heterogeneous East African isolates. Herein we characterized a trypanosome isolated from a nyala antelope (Tragelaphus angasi) wild-caught in Mozambique (East Africa) and diagnosed as T. vivax-like based on biological, morphological and molecular data. Phylogenetic relationships, phylogeographical patterns and estimates of genetic divergence were based on SSU and ITS rDNA sequences of T. vivax from Brazil and Venezuela (South America), Nigeria (West Africa), and from T. vivax-like trypanosomes from Mozambique, Kenya and Tanzania (East Africa). Despite being well-supported within the T. vivax clade, the nyala trypanosome was highly divergent from all other T. vivax and T. vivax-like trypanosomes, even those from East Africa. Considering its host origin, morphological features, behaviour in experimentally infected goats, phylogenetic placement, and genetic divergence this isolate represents a new genotype of trypanosome closely phylogenetically related to T. vivax. This study corroborated the high complexity and the existence of distinct genotypes yet undescribed within the subgenus Duttonella.

scholarly journals Transcriptional signatures of Zika virus infection in astrocytes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blake Schouest ◽  
Tiffany A. Peterson ◽  
Dawn M. Szeltner ◽  
Elizabeth A. Scheef ◽  
Melody Baddoo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
Response Patterns ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
African Lineage ◽  
Important Target ◽  
Asian Lineage ◽  
Human Infections ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Infant Rhesus

AbstractAstrocytes are an early and important target of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in the developing brain, but the impacts of infection on astrocyte function remain controversial. Given that nonhuman primate (NHP) models of ZIKV infection replicate aspects of neurologic disease seen in human infections, we cultured primary astrocytes from the brain tissue of infant rhesus macaques and then infected the cells with Asian or African lineage ZIKV to identify transcriptional patterns associated with infection in these cells. The African lineage virus appeared to have greater infectivity and promote stronger antiviral signaling, but infection by either strain ultimately produced typical virus response patterns. Both viruses induced hypoxic stress, but the Asian lineage strain additionally had an effect on metabolic and lipid biosynthesis pathways. Together, these findings describe an NHP astrocyte model that may be used to assess transcriptional signatures following ZIKV infection.

scholarly journals Network of Interactions between ZIKA Virus Non-structural Proteins and Human Host Proteins

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Volha A. Golubeva ◽  
Thales C. Nepomuceno ◽  
Giuliana de Gregoriis ◽  
Rafael D. Mesquita ◽  
Xueli Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Neural Progenitor Cells ◽  
Affinity Purification ◽  
Genetic Disorders ◽  
Interaction Network ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Structural Proteins ◽  
Infected Mosquito ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Human Proteins

The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne Flavivirus and can be transmitted through an infected mosquito bite or through human-to-human interaction by sexual activity, blood transfusion, breastfeeding or perinatal exposure. After the 2015-2016 outbreak in Brazil, a strong link between ZIKV infection and microcephaly emerged. ZIKV specifically targets human neural progenitor cells, suggesting that proteins encoded by ZIKV bind and inactivate host cell proteins leading to microcephaly. Here, we present a systematic annotation of interactions between human proteins and the seven non-structural ZIKV proteins corresponding to a Brazilian isolate. The interaction network was generated by combining tandem-affinity purification followed by mass spectrometry with yeast two-hybrid screens. We identified 150 human proteins, involved in distinct biological processes, as interactors to ZIKV non-structural proteins. Our interacting network is composed of proteins that have been previously associated with microcephaly in human genetic disorders and/or animal models. This study builds on previously published interacting networks of ZIKV and genes related to autosomal recessive primary microcephaly to generate a catalog of human cellular targets of ZIKV proteins implicated in processes related to microcephaly in humans. Collectively, this data can be used as a resource for future characterization of ZIKV infection biology and help create a basis for the discovery of drugs which may disrupt the interaction and reduce the health damage to the fetus.

scholarly journals High specificity of a novel Zika virus ELISA in European patients after exposure to different flaviviruses

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Huzly ◽  
Ingeborg Hanselmann ◽  
Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit ◽  
Marcus Panning
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Dengue Virus ◽  
Yellow Fever ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Yellow Fever Virus ◽  
High Specificity ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis ◽  
Igm Elisa ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis Virus

The current Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic in the Americas caused an increase in diagnostic requests in European countries. Here we demonstrate high specificity of the Euroimmun anti-ZIKV IgG and IgM ELISA tests using putative cross-reacting sera of European patients with antibodies against tick-borne encephalitis virus, dengue virus, yellow fever virus and hepatitis C virus. This test may aid in counselling European travellers returning from regions where ZIKV is endemic.

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