Induction of varicella zoster virus DNA replication in dissociated human trigeminal ganglia

• DOI: 10.1007/s13365-016-0480-1
• Publication Date: 2016-09-28T17:23:24Z
• Authors: Randall J. Cohrs; Hussain Badani; Nicholas L. Baird; Teresa M. White; Bridget Sanford; Don Gilden
• Keywords: Varicella zoster virus; Zona; Trigeminal Nerve

Varicella zoster virus (VZV), a human neurotropic alphaherpesvirus, becomes latent after primary infection and reactivates to produce zoster. To study VZV latency and reactivation, human trigeminal ganglia removed within 24 h after death were mechanically dissociated, randomly distributed into six-well tissue culture plates and incubated with reagents to inactivate nerve growth factor (NGF) or phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) pathways. At 5 days, VZV DNA increased in control and PI3-kinase inhibitor-treated cultures to the same extent, but was significantly more abundant in anti-NGF-treated cultures (p = 0.001). Overall, VZV DNA replication is regulated in part by an NGF pathway that is PI3-kinase-independent.