Decidual production of interferon lambda in response to ZIKV persistence: Clinical evidence and in vitro modelling

• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30613
• Publication Date: 2024-05-03T03:45:37Z
• Authors: Tamiris Azamor; Daniela Prado Cunha; Keyla Silva Nobre...; Eloiza Lopes Lira...; Juliana Gil Melgaço; Andréa Marques Vi...; Marcelo Ribeiro-A...; Thyago Leal Calvo; Luciana Neves Tub...; Jane da Silva; Camilla Bayma Fer...; Alessandro Fonsec...; Amanda Torrentes ...; Elyzabeth Avvad-P...; Letícia da Cunha ...; Leonardo Gomes; Maria Elisabeth L...; Ana Paula Dinis A...; Patrícia Cristina...; Sotiris Missailidis; Zilton Vasconcelos; Alexandre Urban B...; Milton Ozório Moraes
• Keywords: Decidua; Zika Virus; Persistence (discontinuity)

Zika virus (ZIKV) infections during pregnancy can result in Congenital Syndrome (CZS), a range of severe neurological outcomes fetuses that primarily occur early gestational stages possibly due to placental damage. Although some placentas maintain ZIKV persistence for weeks or months after the initial infection and diagnosis, impact this viral is still unknown. Here, we aimed investigate immunological repercussion term placentas. As such, from 64 pregnant women diagnosed with different periods were analyzed by RT-qPCR, examination decidua villous histopathology, expression inflammation-related genes IFNL1-4. Subsequently, explored primary cultures decidual Extravillous Trophoblasts (EVTs) Term Chorionic Villi (TCV) explants, as vitro models access consequences infection. Placenta CZS cases presented low IFNL1-4 expression, evidencing critical protective role theses cytokines clinical outcome. cleared showed increased levels IFNL1, 3, 4, whether was related proinflammatory profile. Conversely, upon inflammation high levels. In experiments EVTs are more permissive, secreted higher IFN-α2 IFN-λ1 compared TCV explants. The results suggest that, persistence, maternal-skewed contributes inflammatory antiviral signature, through chronic deciduitis IFNL upregulation. further studies needed elucidate mechanisms underlying responses against ZIKV. Hence, study presents unique insights valuable evaluating landscape persistence.