Neural Infection by Oropouche Virus in Adult Human Brain Slices Induces an Inflammatory and Toxic Response

• DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.674576
• Publication Date: 2021-11-30T12:33:05Z
• Authors: Glaucia M. Almeida; Juliano P. Souza; Niele D. Mendes; Marjorie C. Pontelli; Nathalia R. Pinheiro; Giovanna O. Nogueira; Ricardo S. Cardoso; Isadora M. Paiva; Gustavo D. Ferrari; Flávio P. Veras; Fernando Q. Cunha; Jose A. C. Horta-...; Luciane C. Alberici; Thiago M. Cunha; Guilherme G. Podo...; Luciano Neder; Eurico Arruda; Adriano Sebollela
• Keywords: Human brain

Oropouche virus (OROV) is an emerging arbovirus in South and Central Americas with high spreading potential. OROV infection has been associated neurological complications genomic RNA detected cerebrospinal fluid from patients, suggesting its neuroinvasive Motivated by these findings, neurotropism neuropathogenesis of have investigated vivo murine models, which do not fully recapitulate the complexity human brain. Here we used slice cultures adult brains to investigate whether capable infecting mature neural cells a context preserved connections brain cytoarchitecture. Our results demonstrate that can be infected ex support production infectious viral particles. Moreover, led release pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) diminished cell viability 48 h post-infection, indicating triggers inflammatory response tissue damage. Although OROV-positive neurons were observed, microglia most abundant central nervous system (CNS) type OROV, they play important role CNS Importantly, found no OROV-infected astrocytes. To best our knowledge, this first direct demonstration cells. Combined previous data models case reports genome detection shed light on help raising awareness about acute possibly chronic consequences