Probes for INS

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection can cause fetal developmental abnormalities and Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults. Although progress has been made in understanding the link between ZIKV infection and microcephaly, the pathology of ZIKV, particularly the viral reservoirs in human, remains poorly understood. Several studies have shown that compared to serum samples, patients' urine samples often have a longer duration of ZIKV persistency and higher viral load. This finding suggests that an independent viral reservoir may exist in the human urinary system. Despite the clinical observations, the host cells of ZIKV in the human urinary system are poorly characterized. In this study, we demonstrate that ZIKV can infect renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (RPTEpiCs) in immunodeficient mice in vivo and in both immortalized and primary human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (hRPTEpiCs) in vitro. Importantly, ZIKV infection in mouse kidneys caused caspase-3-mediated apoptosis of renal cells. Similarly, in vitro infection of immortalized and primary hRPTEpiCs resulted in notable cytopathic effects. Consistent with the clinical observations, we found that ZIKV infection can persist with prolonged duration in hRPTEpiCs. RNA-Seq analyses of infected hRPTEpiCs revealed a large number of transcriptional changes in response to ZIKV infection, including type I interferon signaling genes and anti-viral response genes. Our results suggest that hRPTEpiCs are a potential reservoir of ZIKV in the human urinary system, providing a possible explanation for the prolonged persistency of ZIKV in patients' urine.

Zika virus (ZIKV) has become a global concern because infection of pregnant mothers was linked to congenital birth defects. ZIKV is unique from other flaviviruses, as it is transmitted vertically and sexually in addition to by mosquito vectors. Prior studies in mice, non-human primates, and humans have shown that ZIKV targets the testis in males, resulting in persistent infection and oligospermia. However, its effects on the corresponding female gonads have not been evaluated. Here, we assessed the effects of ZIKV on the ovary in non-pregnant mice. During the acute phase, ZIKV productively infected the ovary causing accumulation of CD4+ and virus-specific CD8+ T cells. T cells protected against ZIKV infection in the ovary, as higher viral burden was measured in CD8-/- and TCRβδ-/- mice. Increased cell death and tissue inflammation in the ovary was observed during the acute phase of infection, but this normalized over time. In contrast to that observed with males, minimal persistence and no long-term consequences of ZIKV infection on ovarian follicular reserve or fertility were demonstrated in this model. Thus, although ZIKV replicates in cells of the ovary and causes acute oophoritis, there is rapid resolution and no long-term effects on fertility, at least in mice.

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection of pregnant women can cause congenital malformations including microcephaly, which has focused global attention on this emerging pathogen1. In addition to transmission by mosquitoes, ZIKV can be detected in the seminal fluid of affected males for extended periods of time and transmitted sexually2. Here, using a mouse-adapted African ZIKV strain (Dakar 41519), we evaluated the consequences of infection in the male reproductive tract of mice. We observed persistence of ZIKV, but not the closely related Dengue virus (DENV), in the testis and epididymis of male mice, and this was associated with tissue injury that caused diminished testosterone and inhibin B levels, and oligospermia. ZIKV preferentially infected spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, and Sertoli cells in the testis, resulting in cell death and destruction of the seminiferous tubules. Less damage was observed with a contemporary Asian ZIKV strain (H/PF/2013), in part because this virus replicates less efficiently in mice. The extent to which these observations in mice translate to humans remains unclear, but longitudinal studies of sperm function and viability in ZIKV-infected humans seem warranted.

Animal models of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection have recently been established in mice, guinea pigs, and nonhuman primates. Tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) are an emerging experimental animal in biomedical applications, but their susceptibility to ZIKV infection has not been explored. In the present study, we showed that subcutaneous inoculation of ZIKV led to rapid viremia and viral secretion in saliva, as well as to typical dermatological manifestations characterized by massive diffuse skin rash on the trunk. Global transcriptomic sequencing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from ZIKV-infected animals revealed systematic gene expression changes related to the inflammatory response and dermatological manifestations. Importantly, ZIKV infection readily triggered the production of high-titer neutralizing antibodies, thus preventing secondary homologous infection, in tree shrews. However, neonatal tree shrews succumbed to ZIKV challenge upon intracerebral infection. The tree shrew model described here recapitulates the most common dermatological manifestations observed in ZIKV-infected patients and may greatly facilitate the elucidation of ZIKV pathogenesis and the development of novel vaccines and therapeutics.IMPORTANCEThe reemergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) has caused a global public health crisis since 2016, and there are currently no vaccines or antiviral drugs to prevent or treat ZIKV infection. However, considerable advances have been made in understanding the biology and pathogenesis of ZIKV infection. In particular, various animal models have been successfully established to mimic ZIKV infection and its associated neurological diseases and to evaluate potential countermeasures. However, the clinical symptoms in these mouse and nonhuman primate models are different from the common clinical manifestations seen in human ZIKV patients; in particular, dermatological manifestations are rarely recapitulated in these animal models. Here, we developed a new animal model of ZIKV infection in tree shrews, a rat-sized, primate-related mammal. In vitro and in vivo characterization of ZIKV infection in tree shrews established a direct link between ZIKV infection and the immune responses and dermatological manifestations. The tree shrew model described here, as well as other available animal models, provides a valuable platform to study ZIKV pathogenesis and to evaluate vaccines and therapeutics.