Zika virus infection histories in brain development

Author Marcelino, Bruna Lorena de Melo; Santos, Brendha Leandro dos; Doerl, Jhulimar Guilherme; Cavalcante, Samantha de Freitas; Maia, Sara do Nascimento; Arrais, Nivia Maria Rodrigues; Zin, Andrea Araujo; Jeronimo, Selma Maria Bezerra; Queiroz, Claudio Marcos Teixeira de; Pereira, Cecilia Hedin; Sequerra, Eduardo Bouth
Publisher

The Company of Biologists

Date

2023-07

Keywords

Zika virus infection

Blood–brain barrier

Brainstem

Calcification

Cerebellum

Neuronal migration

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Citation
Abstract

An outbreak of births of microcephalic patients in Brazil motivated multiple studies on this incident. The data left no doubt that infection by Zika virus (ZIKV) was the cause, and that this virus promotes reduction in neuron numbers and neuronal death. Analysis of patients' characteristics revealed additional aspects of the pathology alongside the decrease in neuronal number. Here, we review the data from human, molecular, cell and animal model studies attempting to build the natural history of ZIKV in the embryonic central nervous system (CNS). We discuss how identifying the timing of infection and the pathways through which ZIKV may infect and spread through the CNS can help explain the diversity of phenotypes found in congenital ZIKV syndrome (CZVS). We suggest that intraneuronal viral transport is the primary mechanism of ZIKV spread in the embryonic brain and is responsible for most cases of CZVS. According to this hypothesis, the viral transport through the blood-brain barrier and cerebrospinal fluid is responsible for more severe pathologies in which ZIKV-induced malformations occur along the entire anteroposterior CNS axis

URIhttps://repositorio.ufrn.br/handle/123456789/54972
CollectionsICe - Artigos publicados em periódicos