biostudies-literatureDuan WNational Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases (NITFID) grantNational Key Research and Development Program of ChinaNational Disease Control and Prevention Administration Public Health Talent Training Support Project - Zhang Yong1478https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12656879biostudies-literatureUnknown17(11)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 assoVirusesSpinal Cord Injury in Enterovirus D68 Infection: Mechanisms and Pathophysiology in a Mouse Model.PMC12656879ZDGWNLJS25-36GJJKJ-2024-ZY2021YFC2302003Li HLi JLiang YShi QWang JLiu YWang RSun QXiao JZhang YYang QDuan WZhou JfalseSpinal Cord Injury in Enterovirus D68 Infection: Mechanisms and Pathophysiology in a Mouse Model.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 asso2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Nov2026-05-20T03:18:32.617Z2026-05-20T03:14:04.648ZS-EPMC126568794130550010.3390/v17111478