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Hungwe FTT, Laycock KM, Ntereke TD, Mabaka R, Paganotti GM. A historical perspective on arboviruses of public health interest in Southern Africa. Pathog Glob Health 2024; 118:131-159. [PMID: 38082563 PMCID: PMC11141323 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2023.2290375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Arboviruses are an existing and expanding threat globally, with the potential for causing devastating health and socioeconomic impacts. Mitigating this threat necessitates a One Health approach that integrates vector surveillance, rapid disease detection, and innovative prevention and control measures. In Southern Africa, limited data on the epidemiology of arboviruses, their vectors, and their hosts prevent an effective response. We reviewed the current knowledge on arboviruses in Southern Africa and identified opportunities for further research. A literature search was conducted to identify studies published on arboviruses in 10 tropical and temperate countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) from 1900 onward. We identified 280 studies, half (51.1%) originating from South Africa, that described 31 arboviral species, their vectors, and their clinical effects on hosts reported in the region. Arboviral research flourished in the SADC in the mid-20th century but then declined, before reemerging in the last two decades. Recent research consists largely of case reports describing outbreaks. Historical vector surveillance and serosurveys from the mid-20th century suggest that arboviruses are plentiful across Southern Africa, but large gaps remain in the current understanding of arboviral distribution, transmission dynamics, and public health impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faith T. T. Hungwe
- School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katherine M. Laycock
- The Ryan White Center for Pediatric Infectious Disease and Global Health, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | | | - Rorisang Mabaka
- School of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Giacomo M. Paganotti
- Botswana-University of Pennsylvania Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
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Jaeger AS, Marano J, Riemersma KK, Castaneda D, Pritchard EM, Pritchard JC, Bohm EK, Baczenas JJ, O'Connor SL, Weger-Lucarelli J, Friedrich TC, Aliota MT. Gain without pain: adaptation and increased virulence of Zika virus in vertebrate host without fitness cost in mosquito vector. J Virol 2023; 97:e0116223. [PMID: 37800949 PMCID: PMC10653995 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01162-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Previously, we modeled direct transmission chains of Zika virus (ZIKV) by serially passaging ZIKV in mice and mosquitoes and found that direct mouse transmission chains selected for viruses with increased virulence in mice and the acquisition of non-synonymous amino acid substitutions. Here, we show that these same mouse-passaged viruses also maintain fitness and transmission capacity in mosquitoes. We used infectious clone-derived viruses to demonstrate that the substitution in nonstructural protein 4A contributes to increased virulence in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna S. Jaeger
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jeffrey Marano
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Kasen K. Riemersma
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - David Castaneda
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - Elise M. Pritchard
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - Julia C. Pritchard
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ellie K. Bohm
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - John J. Baczenas
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Shelby L. O'Connor
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - James Weger-Lucarelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Thomas C. Friedrich
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Matthew T. Aliota
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
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Boehm EC, Jaeger AS, Ries HJ, Castañeda D, Weiler AM, Valencia CC, Weger-Lucarelli J, Ebel GD, O’Connor SL, Friedrich TC, Zamanian M, Aliota MT. Wolbachia-mediated resistance to Zika virus infection in Aedes aegypti is dominated by diverse transcriptional regulation and weak evolutionary pressures. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011674. [PMID: 37782672 PMCID: PMC10569609 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A promising candidate for arbovirus control and prevention relies on replacing arbovirus-susceptible Aedes aegypti populations with mosquitoes that have been colonized by the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia and thus have a reduced capacity to transmit arboviruses. This reduced capacity to transmit arboviruses is mediated through a phenomenon referred to as pathogen blocking. Pathogen blocking has primarily been proposed as a tool to control dengue virus (DENV) transmission, however it works against a range of viruses, including Zika virus (ZIKV). Despite years of research, the molecular mechanisms underlying pathogen blocking still need to be better understood. Here, we used RNA-seq to characterize mosquito gene transcription dynamics in Ae. aegypti infected with the wMel strain of Wolbachia that are being released by the World Mosquito Program in Medellín, Colombia. Comparative analyses using ZIKV-infected, uninfected tissues, and mosquitoes without Wolbachia revealed that the influence of wMel on mosquito gene transcription is multifactorial. Importantly, because Wolbachia limits, but does not completely prevent, replication of ZIKV and other viruses in coinfected mosquitoes, there is a possibility that these viruses could evolve resistance to pathogen blocking. Therefore, to understand the influence of Wolbachia on within-host ZIKV evolution, we characterized the genetic diversity of molecularly barcoded ZIKV virus populations replicating in Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes and found that within-host ZIKV evolution was subject to weak purifying selection and, unexpectedly, loose anatomical bottlenecks in the presence and absence of Wolbachia. Together, these findings suggest that there is no clear transcriptional profile associated with Wolbachia-mediated ZIKV restriction, and that there is no evidence for ZIKV escape from this restriction in our system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C. Boehm
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Anna S. Jaeger
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Hunter J. Ries
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - David Castañeda
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Andrea M. Weiler
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Corina C. Valencia
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - James Weger-Lucarelli
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Gregory D. Ebel
- Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Shelby L. O’Connor
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Thomas C. Friedrich
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Mostafa Zamanian
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Matthew T. Aliota
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States of America
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Zhang Y, Sheng Z, Chen Q, Zhou A, Cao J, Xue F, Ye Y, Wu N, Gao N, Fan D, Liu L, Li Y, Wang P, Liang L, Zhou D, Zhang F, Li F, An J. Neutrophil infiltration leads to fetal growth restriction by impairing the placental vasculature in DENV-infected pregnant mice. EBioMedicine 2023; 95:104739. [PMID: 37544202 PMCID: PMC10432184 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dengue virus (DENV) infection during pregnancy increases the risk of adverse fetal outcomes, which has become a new clinical challenge. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. METHODS The effect of DENV-2 infection on fetuses was investigated using pregnant interferon α/β receptor-deficient (Ifnar1-/-) mice. The histopathological changes in the placentas were analyzed by morphological techniques. A mouse inflammation array was used to detect the cytokine and chemokine profiles in the serum and placenta. The infiltration characteristics of inflammatory cells in the placentas were evaluated by single-cell RNA sequencing. FINDINGS Fetal growth restriction observed in DENV-2 infection was mainly caused by the destruction of the placental vasculature rather than direct damage from the virus in our mouse model. After infection, neutrophil infiltration into the placenta disrupts the expression profile of matrix metalloproteinases, which leads to placental dysvascularization and insufficiency. Notably, similar histopathological changes were observed in the placentas from DENV-infected puerperae. INTERPRETATION Neutrophils play key roles in placental histopathological damage during DENV infection, which indicates that interfering with aberrant neutrophil infiltration into the placenta may be an important therapeutic target for adverse pregnancy outcomes in DENV infection. FUNDING The National Key Research and Development Plans of China (2021YFC2300200-02 to J.A., 2019YFC0121905 to Q.Z.C.), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (U1902210 and 81972979 to J. A., 81902048 to Z. Y. S., and 82172266 to P.G.W.), and the Support Project of High-level Teachers in Beijing Municipal Universities in the Period of 13th Five-year Plan, China (IDHT20190510 to J. A.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China; Department of Blood Transfusion, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ziyang Sheng
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China.
| | - Qiaozhu Chen
- Department of Ob&Gyn, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Anni Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, Department of Gastroenterology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaying Cao
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Feiyang Xue
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Yanzhen Ye
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, People's Hospital of Nanhai District, Foshan City, 528200, Guangdong, China
| | - Na Wu
- Laboratory Animal Center, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Na Gao
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Dongying Fan
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Libo Liu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Yuetong Li
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Peigang Wang
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Li Liang
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Deshan Zhou
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Fuchun Zhang
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Ob&Gyn, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Jing An
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China.
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Jaeger AS, Crooks CM, Weiler AM, Bliss MI, Rybarczyk S, Richardson A, Einwalter M, Peterson E, Capuano S, Barkhymer A, Becker JT, Greene JT, Freedman TS, Langlois RA, Friedrich TC, Aliota MT. Primary infection with Zika virus provides one-way heterologous protection against Spondweni virus infection in rhesus macaques. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg3444. [PMID: 37390207 PMCID: PMC10313173 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg3444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Spondweni virus (SPONV) is the closest known relative of Zika virus (ZIKV). SPONV pathogenesis resembles that of ZIKV in pregnant mice, and both viruses are transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. We aimed to develop a translational model to further understand SPONV transmission and pathogenesis. We found that cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) inoculated with ZIKV or SPONV were susceptible to ZIKV but resistant to SPONV infection. In contrast, rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) supported productive infection with both ZIKV and SPONV and developed robust neutralizing antibody responses. Crossover serial challenge in rhesus macaques revealed that SPONV immunity did not protect against ZIKV infection, whereas ZIKV immunity was fully protective against SPONV infection. These findings establish a viable model for future investigation into SPONV pathogenesis and suggest that the risk of SPONV emergence is low in areas with high ZIKV seroprevalence due to one-way cross-protection between ZIKV and SPONV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna S. Jaeger
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Chelsea M. Crooks
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Andrea M. Weiler
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Mason I. Bliss
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Sierra Rybarczyk
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Alex Richardson
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Morgan Einwalter
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Eric Peterson
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Saverio Capuano
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Alison Barkhymer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jordan T. Becker
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Joseph T. Greene
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Tanya S. Freedman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ryan A. Langlois
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Thomas C. Friedrich
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Matthew T. Aliota
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
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6
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Boehm EC, Jaeger AS, Ries HJ, Castañeda D, Weiler AM, Valencia CC, Weger-Lucarelli J, Ebel GD, O’Connor SL, Friedrich TC, Zamanian M, Aliota MT. Wolbachia -mediated resistance to Zika virus infection in Aedes aegypti is dominated by diverse transcriptional regulation and weak evolutionary pressures. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.26.546271. [PMID: 37425681 PMCID: PMC10327090 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.26.546271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
A promising candidate for arbovirus control and prevention relies on replacing arbovirus-susceptible Aedes aegypti populations with mosquitoes that have been colonized by the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia and thus have a reduced capacity to transmit arboviruses. This reduced capacity to transmit arboviruses is mediated through a phenomenon referred to as pathogen blocking. Pathogen blocking has primarily been proposed as a tool to control dengue virus (DENV) transmission, however it works against a range of viruses, including Zika virus (ZIKV). Despite years of research, the molecular mechanisms underlying pathogen blocking still need to be better understood. Here, we used RNA-seq to characterize mosquito gene transcription dynamics in Ae. aegypti infected with the w Mel strain of Wolbachia that are being released by the World Mosquito Program in Medellín, Colombia. Comparative analyses using ZIKV-infected, uninfected tissues, and mosquitoes without Wolbachia revealed that the influence of w Mel on mosquito gene transcription is multifactorial. Importantly, because Wolbachia limits, but does not completely prevent, replication of ZIKV and other viruses in coinfected mosquitoes, there is a possibility that these viruses could evolve resistance to pathogen blocking. Therefore, to understand the influence of Wolbachia on within-host ZIKV evolution, we characterized the genetic diversity of molecularly barcoded ZIKV virus populations replicating in Wolbachia -infected mosquitoes and found that within-host ZIKV evolution was subject to weak purifying selection and, unexpectedly, loose anatomical bottlenecks in the presence and absence of Wolbachia . Together, these findings suggest that there is no clear transcriptional profile associated with Wolbachia -mediated ZIKV restriction, and that there is no evidence for ZIKV escape from this restriction in our system. Author Summary When Wolbachia bacteria infect Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, they dramatically reduce the mosquitoes' susceptibility to infection with a range of arthropod-borne viruses, including Zika virus (ZIKV). Although this pathogen-blocking effect has been widely recognized, its mechanisms remain unclear. Furthermore, because Wolbachia limits, but does not completely prevent, replication of ZIKV and other viruses in coinfected mosquitoes, there is a possibility that these viruses could evolve resistance to Wolbachia -mediated blocking. Here, we use host transcriptomics and viral genome sequencing to examine the mechanisms of ZIKV pathogen blocking by Wolbachia and viral evolutionary dynamics in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. We find complex transcriptome patterns that do not suggest a single clear mechanism for pathogen blocking. We also find no evidence that Wolbachia exerts detectable selective pressures on ZIKV in coinfected mosquitoes. Together our data suggest that it may be difficult for ZIKV to evolve Wolbachia resistance, perhaps due to the complexity of the pathogen blockade mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C. Boehm
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
| | - Anna S. Jaeger
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
| | - Hunter J. Ries
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - David Castañeda
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
| | - Andrea M. Weiler
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Corina C. Valencia
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | | | | | - Shelby L. O’Connor
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Thomas C. Friedrich
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Mostafa Zamanian
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Matthew T. Aliota
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
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Jaeger AS, Marano J, Riemersma K, Castañeda D, Pritchard E, Pritchard J, Bohm EK, Baczenas JJ, O’Connor SL, Weger-Lucarelli J, Friedrich TC, Aliota MT. Gain without pain: Adaptation and increased virulence of Zika virus in vertebrate host without fitness cost in mosquito vector. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.20.533515. [PMID: 36993525 PMCID: PMC10055270 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.20.533515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is now in a post-pandemic period, for which the potential for re-emergence and future spread is unknown. Adding to this uncertainty is the unique capacity of ZIKV to directly transmit between humans via sexual transmission. Recently, we demonstrated that direct transmission of ZIKV between vertebrate hosts leads to rapid adaptation resulting in enhanced virulence in mice and the emergence of three amino acid substitutions (NS2A-A117V, NS2A-A117T, and NS4A-E19G) shared among all vertebrate-passaged lineages. Here, we further characterized these host-adapted viruses and found that vertebrate-passaged viruses also have enhanced transmission potential in mosquitoes. To understand the contribution of genetic changes to the enhanced virulence and transmission phenotype, we engineered these amino acid substitutions, singly and in combination, into a ZIKV infectious clone. We found that NS4A-E19G contributed to the enhanced virulence and mortality phenotype in mice. Further analyses revealed that NS4A-E19G results in increased neurotropism and distinct innate immune signaling patterns in the brain. None of the substitutions contributed to changes in transmission potential in mosquitoes. Together, these findings suggest that direct transmission chains could enable the emergence of more virulent ZIKV strains without compromising mosquito transmission capacity, although the underlying genetics of these adaptations are complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna S. Jaeger
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
| | - Jeffrey Marano
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
| | - Kasen Riemersma
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison
| | - David Castañeda
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
| | - Elise Pritchard
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
| | - Julia Pritchard
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
| | - Ellie K. Bohm
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
| | - John J. Baczenas
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
| | - Shelby L. O’Connor
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
| | - James Weger-Lucarelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
| | - Thomas C. Friedrich
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
| | - Matthew T. Aliota
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
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8
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Bohm EK, Vangorder-Braid JT, Jaeger AS, Moriarty RV, Baczenas JJ, Bennett NC, O’Connor SL, Fritsch MK, Fuhler NA, Noguchi KK, Aliota MT. Zika Virus Infection of Pregnant Ifnar1-/- Mice Triggers Strain-Specific Differences in Fetal Outcomes. J Virol 2021; 95:e0081821. [PMID: 34379510 PMCID: PMC8513483 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00818-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a flavivirus that causes a constellation of adverse fetal outcomes collectively termed congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). However, not all pregnancies exposed to ZIKV result in an infant with apparent defects. During the 2015 to 2016 American outbreak of ZIKV, CZS rates varied by geographic location. The underlying mechanisms responsible for this heterogeneity in outcomes have not been well defined. Therefore, we sought to characterize and compare the pathogenic potential of multiple Asian-/American-lineage ZIKV strains in an established Ifnar1-/- pregnant mouse model. Here, we show significant differences in the rate of fetal demise following maternal inoculation with ZIKV strains from Puerto Rico, Panama, Mexico, Brazil, and Cambodia. Rates of fetal demise broadly correlated with maternal viremia but were independent of fetus and placenta virus titer, indicating that additional underlying factors contribute to fetal outcome. Our results, in concert with those from other studies, suggest that subtle differences in ZIKV strains may have important phenotypic impacts. With ZIKV now endemic in the Americas, greater emphasis needs to be placed on elucidating and understanding the underlying mechanisms that contribute to fetal outcome. IMPORTANCE Zika virus (ZIKV) transmission has been reported in 87 countries and territories around the globe. ZIKV infection during pregnancy is associated with adverse fetal outcomes, including birth defects, microcephaly, neurological complications, and even spontaneous abortion. Rates of adverse fetal outcomes vary between regions, and not every pregnancy exposed to ZIKV results in birth defects. Not much is known about how or if the infecting ZIKV strain is linked to fetal outcomes. Our research provides evidence of phenotypic heterogeneity between Asian-/American-lineage ZIKV strains and provides insight into the underlying causes of adverse fetal outcomes. Understanding ZIKV strain-dependent pathogenic potential during pregnancy and elucidating underlying causes of diverse clinical sequelae observed during human infections is critical to understanding ZIKV on a global scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie K. Bohm
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jennifer T. Vangorder-Braid
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Anna S. Jaeger
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ryan V. Moriarty
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - John J. Baczenas
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Natalie C. Bennett
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Shelby L. O’Connor
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Michael K. Fritsch
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Nicole A. Fuhler
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kevin K. Noguchi
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Matthew T. Aliota
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
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Westrich JA, McNulty EE, Edmonds MJ, Nalls AV, Miller MR, Foy BD, Rovnak J, Perera R, Mathiason CK. Characterization of subclinical ZIKV infection in immune-competent guinea pigs and mice. J Gen Virol 2021; 102. [PMID: 34410903 PMCID: PMC8513637 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
An infectious agent’s pathogenic and transmission potential is heavily influenced by early events during the asymptomatic or subclinical phase of disease. During this phase, the presence of infectious agent may be relatively low. An important example of this is Zika virus (ZIKV), which can cross the placenta and infect the foetus, even in mothers with subclinical infections. These subclinical infections represent roughly 80 % of all human infections. Initial ZIKV pathogenesis studies were performed in type I interferon receptor (IFNAR) knockout mice. Blunting the interferon response resulted in robust infectivity, and increased the utility of mice to model ZIKV infections. However, due to the removal of the interferon response, the use of these models impedes full characterization of immune responses to ZIKV-related pathologies. Moreover, IFNAR-deficient models represent severe disease whereas less is known regarding subclinical infections. Investigation of the anti-viral immune response elicited at the maternal-foetal interface is critical to fully understand mechanisms involved in foetal infection, foetal development, and disease processes recognized to occur during subclinical maternal infections. Thus, immunocompetent experimental models that recapitulate natural infections are needed. We have established subclinical intravaginal ZIKV infections in mice and guinea pigs. We found that these infections resulted in: the presence of both ZIKV RNA transcripts and infectious virus in maternal and placental tissues, establishment of foetal infections and ZIKV-mediated CXCL10 expression. These models will aid in discerning the mechanisms of subclinical ZIKV mother-to-offspring transmission, and by extension can be used to investigate other maternal infections that impact foetal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Westrich
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Erin E McNulty
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Marisa J Edmonds
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Amy V Nalls
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Megan R Miller
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Brian D Foy
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Joel Rovnak
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Rushika Perera
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Candace K Mathiason
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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