Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging arbovirus of the genus flavivirus that is associated with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) in newborns. A wide range of clinical symptoms including intellectual disability, speech delay, coordination or movement problems, and hearing and vision loss, have been well documented in children with CZS. However, whether ZIKV can invade the olfactory system and lead to post-viral olfactory dysfunction (PVOD) remains unknown.Methods
We investigated the susceptibility and biological responses of the olfactory system to ZIKV infection using mouse models and human olfactory organoids derived from patient olfactory mucosa.Findings
We demonstrate that neonatal mice infected with ZIKV suffer from transient olfactory dysfunction when they reach to puberty. Moreover, ZIKV mainly targets olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) and exhibits broad cellular tropism colocalizing with small populations of mature/immature olfactory sensory neurons (mOSNs/iOSNs), sustentacular cells and horizontal basal cells in the olfactory mucosa (OM) of immunodeficient AG6 mice. ZIKV infection induces strong antiviral immune responses in both the olfactory mucosa and olfactory bulb tissues, resulting in the upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines and genes related to the antiviral response. Histopathology and transcriptomic analysis showed typical tissue damage in the olfactory system. Finally, by using an air-liquid culture system, we showed that ZIKV mainly targets sustentacular cells and OECs and support robust ZIKV replication.Interpretation
Our results demonstrate that olfactory system represents as significant target for ZIKV infection, and that PVOD may be neglected in CZS patients.Funding
Stated in the acknowledgment.
SUBMITTER: Zhou J
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9931927 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Zhou Jia J Guan Meng-Yue MY Li Rui-Ting RT Qi Yi-Ni YN Yang Guan G Deng Yong-Qiang YQ Li Xiao-Feng XF Li Liang L Yang Xiao X Liu Jian-Feng JF Qin Cheng-Feng CF
EBioMedicine 20230203
<h4>Background</h4>Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging arbovirus of the genus flavivirus that is associated with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) in newborns. A wide range of clinical symptoms including intellectual disability, speech delay, coordination or movement problems, and hearing and vision loss, have been well documented in children with CZS. However, whether ZIKV can invade the olfactory system and lead to post-viral olfactory dysfunction (PVOD) remains unknown.<h4>Methods</h4>We investigat ...[more]