Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a highly transmissive virus that belongs to the Flaviviridae family, which comprises several other pathogens that threaten human health. This re-emerging virus gained attention during the outbreak in Brazil in 2016, where a considerable number of microcephaly cases in newborns was associated with ZIKV infection during pregnancy. Lacking a preventive vaccine or antiviral drugs, efforts have been made to better understand the viral life cycle. In light of this, the relevance of the endosomal–lysosomal compartment for the ZIKV life cycle was investigated. A549 and SH-SY5Y cells were infected with either the African strain (associated with mild symptoms) or the French Polynesia strain (associated with neurological complications). For both strains, the V-ATPase inhibitor, bafilomycin A1, efficiently inhibited ZIKV entry and prevented the spread of the infection by interfering with viral maturation. Additionally, affecting cholesterol metabolism and transport with the drug U18666A, which inactivates late endosomes and lysosomes, impairs the viral life cycle. The data presented show a clear antiviral effect of two compounds that target the same compartments in different ways. This highlights the relevance of the endosomal–lysosomal compartment for the viral life cycle that should be considered as a target for antivirals.
Highlights
The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus which was isolated from the blood of a sentinel rhesus monkey in Uganda, in April 1947 [1]
We wondered whether this would differ between a strain responsible for only causing mild symptoms (Uganda 976) and a strain known to be associated with neurological complications (PF13/251013-18)
In contrast to the control, no ZIKV-positive cells were observed when treated with bafilomycin A1 (Figure 1E)
Summary
The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus which was isolated from the blood of a sentinel rhesus monkey in Uganda, in April 1947 [1]. Serological data indicate a high prevalence of ZIKV in Africa [2], until 2007, only fourteen cases of ZIKV mild illness were reported on the African continent and in Southeast Asia [3,4,5,6,7]. This changed after the outbreak on the. ZIKV is an enveloped virus that possesses a positive single-stranded In 2016, following an increase in microcephaly cases in Brazil in 2015, ZIKV was declared as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) [13].
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.