Brain Iron Accumulation and the Formation of Calcifications After Developmental Zika Virus Infection

Zika virus induced microcephaly and aberrant hematopoietic cell differentiation modeled in novel neonatal humanized mice

Introduction

Immunocompetent and immunocompromised murine models have been instrumental in answering important questions regarding ZIKV pathogenesis and vertical transmission. However, mimicking human congenital zika syndrome (CZS) characteristics in these murine models has been less than optimal and does not address the potential viral effects on the human immune system.

Methods

Here, we utilized neonatal humanized Rag2-/-γc-/- mice to model CZS and evaluate the potential viral effects on the differentiation of human hematopoietic stem cells in vivo. Newborn Rag2-/-γc-/- mice were engrafted with ZIKV-infected hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and monitored for symptoms and lesions.

Results

Within 13 days, mice displayed outward clinical symptoms that encompassed stunted growth, hunched posture, ruffled fur, and ocular defects. Striking gross pathologies in the brain and visceral organs were noted. Our results also confirmed that ZIKV actively infected human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells and restricted the development of terminally differentiated B cells. Histologically, there was multifocal mineralization in several different regions of the brain together with ZIKV antigen co-localization. Diffuse necrosis of pyramidal neurons was seen with collapse of the hippocampal formation.

Discussion

Overall, this model recapitulated ZIKV microcephaly and CZS together with viral adverse effects on the human immune cell ontogeny thus providing a unique in vivo model to assess the efficacy of novel therapeutics and immune interventions.

Emerging Applications for Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping in the Detection of Traumatic Brain Injury Pathology

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common but heterogeneous injury underpinned by numerous complex and interrelated pathophysiological mechanisms. An essential trace element, iron is abundant within the brain and involved in many fundamental neurobiological processes, including oxygen transportation, oxidative phosphorylation, myelin production and maintenance, as well as neurotransmitter synthesis and metabolism. Excessive levels of iron are neurotoxic and thus iron homeostasis is tightly regulated in the brain, however, many details about the mechanisms by which this is achieved are yet to be elucidated. A key mediator of oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammatory response, iron dysregulation is an important contributor to secondary injury in TBI. Advances in neuroimaging that leverage magnetic susceptibility properties have enabled increasingly comprehensive investigations into the distribution and behaviour of iron in the brain amongst healthy individuals as well as disease states such as TBI. Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM) is an advanced neuroimaging technique that promises quantitative estimation of local magnetic susceptibility at the voxel level. In this review, we provide an overview of brain iron and its homeostasis, describe recent advances enabling applications of QSM within the context of TBI and summarise the current state of the literature. Although limited, the emergent research suggests that QSM is a promising neuroimaging technique that can be used to investigate a host of pathophysiological changes that are associated with TBI.

The Neurobiology of Zika Virus: New Models, New Challenges

The Zika virus (ZIKV) attracted attention due to one striking characteristic: the ability to cross the placental barrier and infect the fetus, possibly causing severe neurodevelopmental disruptions included in the Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS). Few years after the epidemic, the CZS incidence has begun to decline. However, how ZIKV causes a diversity of outcomes is far from being understood. This is probably driven by a chain of complex events that relies on the interaction between ZIKV and environmental and physiological variables. In this review, we address open questions that might lead to an ill-defined diagnosis of CZS. This inaccuracy underestimates a large spectrum of apparent normocephalic cases that remain underdiagnosed, comprising several subtle brain abnormalities frequently masked by a normal head circumference. Therefore, new models using neuroimaging and artificial intelligence are needed to improve our understanding of the neurobiology of ZIKV and its true impact in neurodevelopment.

Understanding the relationship between viral infections and trace elements from a metallomics perspective: implications for COVID-19

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic situation due to a new viral infection (COVID-19) caused by a novel virus (Sars-CoV-2). COVID-19 is today the leading cause of death from viral infections in the world. It is known that many elements play important roles in viral infections, both in virus survival, and in the activation of the host's immune system, which depends on the presence of micronutrients to maintain the integrity of its functions. In this sense, the metallome can be an important object of study for understanding viral infections. Therefore, this work presents an overview of the role of trace elements in the immune system and the state of the art in metallomics, highlighting the challenges found in studies focusing on viral infections.