Characterization of zika virus infection of human fetal cardiac mesenchymal stromal cells

Immunoinformatics-Based Design of Multi-epitope DNA and mRNA Vaccines Against Zika Virus

In this study, we used an immunoinformatics approach to predict antigenic epitopes of Zika virus (ZIKV) proteins to assist in designing a vaccine antigen against ZIKV. We performed the prediction of CD8+ T-lymphocyte and antigenic B-cell epitopes of ZIKV proteins. The binding interactions of T-cell epitopes with major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) proteins were assessed. We selected the antigenic, conserved, nontoxic, and immunogenic epitopes, which indicated significant interactions with the human leucocyte antigen (HLA-A and HLA-B) alleles and worldwide population coverage of 76.35%. The predicted epitopes were joined with the help of linkers and an adjuvant. The vaccine antigen was then analyzed through molecular docking with TLR3 and TLR8, and it was in silico cloned in the pVAX1 vector to be used as a DNA vaccine and designed as a mRNA vaccine.

Identification of novel anti-ZIKV drugs from viral-infection temporal gene expression profiles

Zika virus (ZIKV) infections are typically asymptomatic but cause severe neurological complications (e.g. Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults, and microcephaly in newborns). There are currently no specific therapy or vaccine options available to prevent ZIKV infections. Temporal gene expression profiles of ZIKV-infected human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) were used in this study to identify genes essential for viral replication. These genes were then used to identify novel anti-ZIKV agents and validated in publicly available data and functional wet-lab experiments. Here, we found that ZIKV effectively evaded activation of immune response-related genes and completely reprogrammed cellular transcriptional architectures. Knockdown of genes, which gradually upregulated during viral infection but showed distinct expression patterns between ZIKV- and mock infection, discovered novel proviral and antiviral factors. One-third of the 74 drugs found through signature-based drug repositioning and cross-reference with the Drug Gene Interaction Database (DGIdb) were known anti-ZIKV agents. In cellular assays, two promising antiviral candidates (Luminespib/NVP-AUY922, L-161982) were found to reduce viral replication without causing cell toxicity. Overall, our time-series transcriptome-based methods offer a novel and feasible strategy for antiviral drug discovery. Our strategies, which combine conventional and data-driven analysis, can be extended for other pathogens causing pandemics in the future.

Morphological and functional cardiac alterations in children with congenital Zika syndrome and severe neurological deficits

INTRODUCTION

Zika virus infection during pregnancy causes fetal microcephaly and brain damage. Congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) is characterized by systemic involvement with diffuse muscle impairment, a high frequency of arthrogryposis, and microphthalmia. Cardiac impairment in CZS has rarely been evaluated. Our study assessed morphology and biventricular cardiac function in children with CZS and advanced neurological dysfunction.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 52 children with CZS (Zika group; ZG) and 25 healthy children (control group; CG) in Paraiba, Brazil. Clinical evaluation, electrocardiogram (EKG), and transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) were performed on all children. Additionally, troponin I and natriuretic peptide type B (BNP) levels, the degree of cerebral palsy, and neuroimaging findings were assessed in the ZG group.

RESULTS

The median age of the study population was 5 years in both groups, and 40.4% (ZG) and 60% (CG) were female. The most prevalent electrocardiographic alteration was sinus arrhythmia in both the ZG (n = 9, 17.3%) and CG (n = 4, 16%). The morphological parameters adjusted for Z score were as follows: left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic diameter in ZG: -2.36 [-5.10, 2.63] vs. CG: -1.07 [-3.43, 0.61], p<0.001); ascending aorta (ZG: -0.09 [-2.08, 1.60] vs. CG: 0.43 [-1.47, 2.2], p = 0.021); basal diameter of the right ventricle (RV) (ZG: -2.34 [-4.90, 0.97] vs. CG: -0.96 [-2.21, 0.40], p<0.01); and pulmonary artery dimension (ZG: -2.13 [-5.99, 0.98] vs. CG: -0.24 [-2.53, 0.59], p<0.01). The ejection fractions (%) were 65.7 and 65.6 in the ZG and CG, respectively (p = 0.968). The left atrium volume indices (mL/m2) in the ZG and CG were 13.15 [6.80, 18.00] and 18.80 [5.90, 25.30] (p<0.01), respectively, and the right atrium volume indices (mL/m2) were 10.10 [4.90, 15.30] and 15.80 [4.10, 24.80] (p<0.01). The functional findings adjusted for Z score were as follows: lateral systolic excursion of the mitral annular plane (MAPSE) (ZG: 0.36 [-2.79, 4.71] vs. CG: 1.79 [-0.93, 4.5], p = 0.001); tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) (ZG: -2.43 [-5.47, 5.09] vs. CG: 0.07 [-1.98, 3.64], p<0.001); and the S' of the RV (ZG: 1.20 [3.35, 2.90] vs. CG: -0.20 [-2.15, 1.50], p = 0.0121). No differences in biventricular strain measurements were observed between the groups. Troponin I and BNP levels were normal in in the ZG. Grade V cerebral palsy and subcortical calcification were found in 88.6% and 97.22% of children in the ZG group, respectively.

CONCLUSION

A reduction in cardiac dimensions and functional changes were found in CZS patients, based on the TAPSE, S' of the RV, and MAPSE, suggesting the importance of cardiac evaluation and follow-up in this group of patients.

The role of glial cells in Zika virus-induced neurodegeneration

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a strongly neurotropic flavivirus whose infection has been associated with microcephaly in neonates. However, clinical and experimental evidence indicate that ZIKV also affects the adult nervous system. In this regard, in vitro and in vivo studies have shown the ability of ZIKV to infect glial cells. In the central nervous system (CNS), glial cells are represented by astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes. In contrast, the peripheral nervous system (PNS) constitutes a highly heterogeneous group of cells (Schwann cells, satellite glial cells, and enteric glial cells) spread through the body. These cells are critical in both physiological and pathological conditions; as such, ZIKV-induced glial dysfunctions can be associated with the development and progression of neurological complications, including those related to the adult and aging brain. This review will address the effects of ZIKV infection on CNS and PNS glial cells, focusing on cellular and molecular mechanisms, including changes in the inflammatory response, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, Ca²⁺ and glutamate homeostasis, neural metabolism, and neuron-glia communication. Of note, preventive and therapeutic strategies that focus on glial cells may emerge to delay and/or prevent the development of ZIKV-induced neurodegeneration and its consequences.

Interferon Epsilon Signaling Confers Attenuated Zika Replication in Human Vaginal Epithelial Cells

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging flavivirus that causes congenital birth defects and neurological compilations in the human host. Although ZIKV is primarily transmitted through infected mosquitos, recent studies reveal sexual contact as a potential transmission route. In vagina-bearing individuals, the vaginal epithelium constitutes the first line of defense against viruses. However, it is unclear how ZIKV interacts with the vaginal epithelium to initiate ZIKV transmission. In this study, we demonstrate that exposing ZIKV to human vaginal epithelial cells (hVECs) resulted in de novo viral RNA replication, increased envelope viral protein production, and a steady, extracellular release of infectious viral particles. Interestingly, our data show that, despite an increase in viral load, the hVECs did not exhibit significant cytopathology in culture as other cell types typically do. Furthermore, our data reveal that the innate antiviral state of hVECs plays a crucial role in preventing viral cytopathology. For the first time, our data show that interferon epsilon inhibits ZIKV replication. Collectively, our results in this study provide a novel perspective on the viral susceptibility and replication dynamics during ZIKV infection in the human vaginal epithelium. These findings will be instrumental towards developing therapeutic agents aimed at eliminating the pathology caused by the virus.

Cardiovascular disorders in patients with Zika Virus: integrative review

Objective: To describe the primary cardiovascular disorders manifested in patients infected with the zika virus and understand the pathophysiological process. Methods: This integrative literature review occurred in January 2021 through the PICO strategy, which answered the guiding question: “What are the main cardiovascular disorders manifested in patients infected with zika virus?” For this, a time interval of 5 years was defined, using the descriptors “Zika Virus”,“Heart” and “Cardiovascular Diseases” in English, Portuguese and Spanish. The contemplated databases were MEDLINE, LILACS, and BDENF. Results: There were a total of 77,872 articles, of which, after the exclusion and inclusion processes, it was summarized in eight articles included in this review. The main cardiovascular findings present were apical muscular ventricular septal defect and ostium secundum, in addition to atrial fibrillation and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Conclusions: Further studies with more robustness that clearly establish the mechanism of cellular tropism for cardiac muscle cells and involve the pathophysiological process of cardiac alterations more clearly and reliably are needed.

Neuroanatomical abnormalities in a nonhuman primate model of congenital Zika virus infection

We evaluated neuropathological consequences of fetal ZIKV exposure in rhesus monkeys, a translatable animal model for human neural development, by carrying out quantitative neuroanatomical analyses of the nearly full-term brains of fetuses infected with ZIKV and procedure-matched controls. For each animal, a complete cerebral hemisphere was evaluated using immunohistochemical (IHC) and neuroanatomical techniques to detect virus, identify affected cell types, and evaluate gross neuroanatomical abnormalities. IHC staining revealed the presence of ZIKV in the frontal lobe, which contained activated microglia and showed increased apoptosis of immature neurons. ZIKV-infected animals exhibited macrostructural changes within the visual pathway. Regional differences tracked with the developmental timing of the brain, suggesting inflammatory processes related to viral infiltration swept through the cortex, followed by a wave of cell death resulting in morphological changes. These findings may help explain why some infants born with normal sized heads during the ZIKV epidemic manifest developmental challenges as they age.