Monkeypox virus spreads from cell-to-cell and leads to neuronal death in human neural organoids.

ABSTRACT: In 2022-23, the world witnessed the largest recorded outbreak of monkeypox virus (MPXV). Neurological manifestations were reported alongside the detection of MPXV DNA and MPXV-specific antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients. Here, we analyze the susceptibility of neural tissue to MPXV using human neural organoids (hNOs) exposed to a clade IIb isolate. We report susceptibility of several cell types to the virus, including neural progenitor cells and neurons. The virus efficiently replicates in hNOs, as indicated by the exponential increase of infectious viral titers and establishment of viral factories. Our findings reveal focal enrichment of viral antigen alongside accumulation of cell-associated infectious virus, suggesting viral cell-to-cell spread. Using an mNeonGreen-express

SUBMITTER: Schultz-Pernice I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12209443 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature