Neural and endothelial cell-derived extracellular vesicles mediate Zika virus genome dissemination and productive infection in vivo.

ABSTRACT: Zika virus (ZIKV) is a neurotropic flavivirus linked to severe neurodevelopmental defects following prenatal exposure. While the mechanisms by which ZIKV spreads within the central nervous system remain incompletely understood, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as potential mediators of intercellular communication and viral dissemination. Here, we demonstrate that EVs derived from ZIKV-infected neural cells encapsulate full-length viral genomes capable of establishing productive in vivo infection, independent of free virions. Primary cortical neurons, astrocytes, and mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells (MBECs) from neonatal mice were infected with ZIKV at a low multiplicity of infection (MOI 0.1). EVs were isolated and treated with acid glycine buffer and RNAase to exclude

SUBMITTER: Calderon-Pelaez MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12654876 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature