Spinal Cord Injury in Enterovirus D68 Infection: Mechanisms and Pathophysiology in a Mouse Model.

ABSTRACT: Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is a significant global pathogen associated with severe respiratory infections and acute flaccid myelitis in children. Currently, there are no vaccines or antiviral drugs available for EV-D68, and a robust model to elucidate the pathogenesis of EV-D68 and evaluate treatment methods is lacking. We developed a mouse-adapted EV-D68 strain that caused progressive limb paralysis after intramuscular inoculation in 7-day-old mice. Viral load analysis showed that the skeletal muscle and spinal cord had the highest titers and most severe injuries. RNA sequencing of the infected muscle, brain, spinal cord, and lung tissues revealed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with viral infection and pathogenesis. DEGs were significantly enriched in various pathways asso

SUBMITTER: Duan W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12656879 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature