Neuronal Degeneration in Mice Induced by an Epidemic Strain of Saint Louis Encephalitis Virus Isolated in Argentina

作者：Rivarola Maria E^*; de Olmos Soledad; Albrieu Llinas Guillermo; Tauro Laura B; Gorosito Serran Melisa; Konigheim Brenda S; Contigiani Marta S; Gruppi Adriana

来源：Frontiers in Microbiology, 2018, 9: 1181.

DOI：10.3389/fmicb.2018.01181

• Saint Louis encephalitis virus
• neurotropic arbovirus
• encephalitis
• neurodegeneration
• apoptosis

Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) is a neglected flavivirus that causes severe neurological disorders. The epidemic strain of SLEV, CbaAr-4005, isolated during an outbreak in Cordoba city (Argentina), causes meningitis and encephalitis associated with neurological symptoms in a murine experimental model. Here, we identified the affected brain areas and the damage triggered by this neurotropic arbovirus. We performed a detailed analysis of brain neurodegeneration associated with CbaAr-4005 SLEV infection in mice. The motor cortex, corpus striatum and cerebellum were the most affected structures. Neurodegeneration was also found in the olfactory bulb, thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and hindbrain. SLEV infection triggered brain cell apoptosis as well as somatodendritic and terminal degeneration. In addition, we observed massive excitotoxic-like degeneration in many cortical structures. Apoptosis was also detected in the neuroblastoma cell line N2a cultured with SLEV. The results evidenced that SLEV CbaAr-4005 infection induced severe degenerative alterations within the central nervous system of infected mice, providing new information about the targets of this flavivirus infection.

• 出版日期2018-6-7