Efficiencies and kinetics of infection in different cell types/lines by African and Asian strains of Zika virus

Abstract

After recent outbreaks, Zika virus (ZIKV) was linked to severe neurological diseases including Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults and microcephaly in newborns. The severities of pathological manifestations have been associated with different ZIKV strains. To better understand the tropism of ZIKV, we infected 10 human and four nonhuman cell lines (types) with two African (IbH30656 and MR766) and two Asian (PRVABC59 and H/FP/2013) ZIKV strains. Cell susceptibility to ZIKV infection was determined by examining viral titers, synthesis of viral proteins, and replication of positive and negative strands of viral genome. Among nonhuman cell lines, only Vero cells were efficiently infected by ZIKV. Among human cell lines, all were permissive to ZIKV infection. However, 293T and HeLa cells showed differential susceptibility towards African strains. In 293T cells, the NS1 protein was expressed at the high level by African strains but was almost not expressed by Asian strains though there was no obvious difference in viral genome replication, suggesting that the differential susceptibility might be controlled at the stage of viral protein translation. This study provides comprehensive results of the permissiveness of different cell types to both African and Asian ZIKV strains, which might help clarify their different pathogenesis.

Type I interferon shapes the quantity and quality of the anti‐Zika virus antibody response

“…In agreement with other studies, ZIKV is able to infect and replicate in HEK293T cell line, with an observable infection and replication (Supplementary figure 2). 27,28 Interestingly, sera normalised to the same concentrations of ZIKV‐specific IgG showed similar neutralising capacity with EC50 of 0.38 and 0.45 μg mL −1 , respectively, and a complete neutralisation of ZIKV infection at 10 μg mL −1 (Figure 3c). To validate this result using more standard techniques, a plaque reduction neutralisation test (PRNT) using VeroE6 cells was performed, which showed a similar profile (Supplementary figure 3a).…”

Dysregulation of Ephrin receptor and PPAR signaling pathways in neural progenitor cells infected by Zika virus

“…ZIKV is classified into two major lineages or strains, the Asian/American and African. Several studies have shown various differences between the two strains, such as differences in infection rate, viral particle production, cellular and antiviral responses and sensitivity to antiviral immunity [30,31]. Differences in pathogenicity has also been observed between the various subtypes of the Asian/American lineage [32].…”

Zika virus infection studies with CD34+ hematopoietic and megakaryocyte‐erythroid progenitors, red blood cells and platelets

“…Previous studies reported comparable tissue tropism for Asian and African ZIKV strains showing variances only in the extent of the subsequent antiviral and immune responses in neuronal cells . Due to its close relation to ZIKV strains currently spreading in the Pacific region, the Americas and the Caribbean and because of its association with significant clinical manifestations such as microcephaly and the Guillain‐Barré Syndrome we performed our experiments with a low‐passaged ZIKV isolate from a French Polynesian patient to evaluate the ZIKV tropism in the context of hematopoietic cells.…”