Zika Virus Infection Downregulates Connexin 43, Disrupts the Cardiomyocyte Gap Junctions and Induces Heart Diseases in A129 Mice.

ABSTRACT: Zika virus (ZIKV) is transmitted mostly via mosquito bites and no vaccine is available, so it may reemerge. We and others previously demonstrated that neonatal infection of ZIKV results in heart failure and can be fatal. Animal models implicated ZIKV involvement in viral heart diseases. It is unknown whether and how ZIKV causes heart failure in adults. Herein, we studied the effects of ZIKV infection on the heart function of adult A129 mice. First, we found that ZIKV productively infects the rat-, mouse-, or human-originated heart cell lines and caused ubiquitination-mediated degradation of and distortive effects on connexin 43 (Cx43) protein that is important for communications between cardiomyocytes. Second, ZIKV infection caused 100% death of the A129 mice with decreasing body weight, w

SUBMITTER: Li S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9645212 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature