Genetic ancestry shapes dengue virus infection in human skin explants.

ABSTRACT: Dengue is the most prevalent arthropod-borne viral disease of humans, with over half the world's population at risk. Infection with any of the four dengue virus (DENV) serotypes is most often self-limiting, but a significant number of cases present with severe dengue characterized by vascular leakage that may be fatal. African ancestry is associated with protection against severe dengue, but the mechanisms are unknown. Using skin explants from genetically defined donors, we show that European ancestry skin has a much stronger inflammatory response to DENV than African ancestry skin, eliciting markedly increased infiltration, infection and migration of resident Langerhans cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells. The effect was seen with all dengue serotypes and Zika virus and in the presenc

SUBMITTER: Castanha PMS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12280909 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature