Simian Varicella Virus Infects Enteric Neurons and α4β7 Integrin-Expressing Gut-Tropic T-Cells in Nonhuman Primates

ABSTRACTPrimary infection with varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a neurotropic alphaherpesvirus, results in varicella. VZV establishes latency in the sensory ganglia and can reactivate later in life to cause herpes zoster. The relationship between VZV and its host during acute infection in the sensory ganglia is not well understood due to limited access to clinical specimens. Intrabronchial inoculation of rhesus macaques with simian varicella virus (SVV) recapitulates the hallmarks of VZV infection in humans. We leveraged this animal model to characterize the host-pathogen interactions in the ganglia during both acute and latent infection by measuring both viral and host transcriptomes on days postinfection (dpi) 3, 7, 10, 14, and 100. SVV DNA and transcripts were detected in sensory ganglia 3 dpi, before the appearance of rash. CD4 and CD8 T cells were also detected in the sensory ganglia 3 dpi. Moreover, lung-resident T cells isolated from the same animals 3 dpi also harbored SVV DNA and transcripts, suggesting that T cells may be responsible for trafficking SVV to the ganglia. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis showed that cessation of viral transcription 7 dpi coincides with a robust antiviral innate immune response in the ganglia. Interestingly, a significant number of genes that play a critical role in nervous system development and function remained downregulated into latency. These studies provide novel insights into host-pathogen interactions in the sensory ganglia during acute varicella and demonstrate that SVV infection results in profound and sustained changes in neuronal gene expression.IMPORTANCEMany aspects of VZV infection of sensory ganglia remain poorly understood, due to limited access to human specimens and the fact that VZV is strictly a human virus. Infection of rhesus macaques with simian varicella virus (SVV), a homolog of VZV, provides a robust model of the human disease. Using this model, we show that SVV reaches the ganglia early after infection, most likely by T cells, and that the induction of a robust innate immune response correlates with cessation of virus transcription. We also report significant changes in the expression of genes that play an important role in neuronal function. Importantly, these changes persist long after viral replication ceases. Given the homology between SVV and VZV, and the genetic and physiological similarities between rhesus macaques and humans, our results provide novel insight into the interactions between VZV and its human host and explain some of the neurological consequences of VZV infection.

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Simian Varicella Virus Is Present in Macrophages, Dendritic Cells, and T Cells in Lymph Nodes of Rhesus Macaques after Experimental Reactivation

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.01324-15 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 89 (19) ◽

pp. 9817-9824 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Vicki Traina-Dorge ◽

Lara A. Doyle-Meyers ◽

Robert Sanford ◽

Jennifer Manfredo ◽

Anna Blackmon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

Dendritic Cells ◽

Lymph Nodes ◽

Rhesus Macaques ◽

Sweat Glands ◽

Alveolar Wall ◽

Simian Varicella Virus ◽

Varicella Zoster ◽

Varicella Virus ◽

Antigen Presenting

ABSTRACTLike varicella-zoster virus (VZV), simian varicella virus (SVV) reactivates to produce zoster. In the present study, 5 rhesus macaques were inoculated intrabronchially with SVV, and 5 months later, 4 monkeys were immunosuppressed; 1 monkey was not immunosuppressed but was subjected to the stress of transportation. In 4 monkeys, a zoster rash developed 7 to 12 weeks after immunosuppression, and a rash also developed in the monkey that was not immunosuppressed. Analysis at 24 to 48 h after zoster revealed SVV antigen in the lung alveolar wall, in ganglionic neurons and nonneuronal cells, and in skin and in lymph nodes. In skin, SVV was found primarily in sweat glands. In lymph nodes, the SVV antigen colocalized mostly with macrophages, dendritic cells, and, to a lesser extent, T cells. The presence of SVV in lymph nodes, as verified by quantitative PCR detection of SVV DNA, might reflect the sequestration of virus by macrophages and dendritic cells in lymph nodes or the presentation of viral antigens to T cells to initiate an immune response against SVV, or both.IMPORTANCEVZV causes varicella (chickenpox), becomes latent in ganglia, and reactivates to produce zoster and multiple other serious neurological disorders. SVV in nonhuman primates has proved to be a useful model in which the pathogenesis of the virus parallels the pathogenesis of VZV in humans. Here, we show that SVV antigens are present in sweat glands in skin and in macrophages and dendritic cells in lymph nodes after SVV reactivation in monkeys, raising the possibility that macrophages and dendritic cells in lymph nodes serve as antigen-presenting cells to activate T cell responses against SVV after reactivation.

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Simian varicella virus causes robust transcriptional changes in T cells that support viral replication

Virus Research ◽

10.1016/j.virusres.2017.07.004 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 238 ◽

pp. 226-235 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Nicole Arnold ◽

Ilhem Messaoudi

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

Viral Replication ◽

Simian Varicella Virus ◽

Varicella Virus ◽

Transcriptional Changes

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Intratracheal inoculation of human varicella zoster virus (VZV; MAV strain) vaccine successfully induced VZV IgG antibodies in rhesus monkeys

Laboratory Animal Research ◽

10.1186/s42826-021-00091-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 37 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jong-Min Kim ◽

Chung-Gyu Park

Keyword(s):

Rhesus Monkey ◽

Varicella Zoster Virus ◽

Humoral Immunity ◽

Antibody Production ◽

Rhesus Monkeys ◽

Igg Antibodies ◽

Simian Varicella Virus ◽

Varicella Zoster ◽

Varicella Virus ◽

Strain Vaccine

Abstract Background The objective of this study was to investigate whether the use of live attenuated varicella zoster virus (VZV) MAV vaccination can efficiently induce VZV antibody production in naive rhesus monkeys as an approach to prevent simian varicella virus (SVV) reactivation in animals immunosuppressed for transplantation studies. Results Clinically available human VZV vaccine was used to induce the production of anti-VZV antibodies in rhesus monkeys. A vial of the vaccine was subcutaneously injected at 0 week, and the second and third vaccination was performed at 5 and 6 weeks by intratracheal inoculation. The titer of anti-VZV IgG was assessed at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 7 weeks. At 2 weeks, 3/16 were seropositive for VZV IgG. At 6 weeks, 9/16 were shown to be seropositive. At 7 weeks, 16/16 were found to be seropositive. Conclusions The VZV vaccine via intratrachael inoculation was shown to induce VZV IgG humoral immunity in rhesus monkeys and may be important immunosuppressed macaques for transplantation studies. Although the humoral immunity produced is an important finding, further studies will be necessary to confirm possible protection and it could protect probably against SVV infection in rhesus monkey.

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Characterization of T Cells Specific for CFP-10 and ESAT-6 in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Infected Mauritian Cynomolgus Macaques

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.01009-16 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 85 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Amy Ellis ◽

Alexis Balgeman ◽

Mark Rodgers ◽

Cassaundra Updike ◽

Jaime Tomko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽

Mhc Class Ii ◽

Nonhuman Primates ◽

Content Type ◽

Host Immune Responses ◽

Cell Responses ◽

Cynomolgus Macaques ◽

Mhc Haplotype

ABSTRACT Nonhuman primates can be used to study host immune responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mauritian cynomolgus macaques (MCMs) are a unique group of animals that have limited major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genetic diversity, such that MHC-identical animals can be infected with M. tuberculosis. Two MCMs homozygous for the relatively common M1 MHC haplotype were bronchoscopically infected with 41 CFU of the M. tuberculosis Erdman strain. Four other MCMs, which had at least one copy of the M1 MHC haplotype, were infected with a lower dose of 3 CFU M. tuberculosis. All animals mounted similar T-cell responses to CFP-10 and ESAT-6. Two epitopes in CFP-10 were characterized, and the MHC class II alleles restricting them were determined. A third epitope in CFP-10 was identified but exhibited promiscuous restriction. The CFP-10 and ESAT-6 antigenic regions targeted by T cells in MCMs were comparable to those seen in cases of human M. tuberculosis infection. Our data lay the foundation for generating tetrameric molecules to study epitope-specific CD4 T cells in M. tuberculosis-infected MCMs, which may guide future testing of tuberculosis vaccines in nonhuman primates.

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