Rubella virus tropism and single-cell responses in human primary tissue and microglia-containing organoids

• DOI: 10.7554/elife.87696
• Publication Date: 2023-05-23T19:07:13Z
• Authors: Galina Popova; Hanna Retallack; Chang N Kim; Albert Wang; David Shin; Joseph L DeRisi; Tomasz Nowakowski
• Keywords: Rubella virus; Congenital rubella syndrome

Rubella virus is an important human pathogen that can cause neurological deficits in a developing fetus when contracted during pregnancy. Despite successful vaccination programs the Americas and many developed countries, rubella remains endemic regions worldwide outbreaks occur wherever population immunity insufficient. Intense interest since was first isolated 1962 has advanced our understanding of clinical outcomes after infection disrupts key processes fetal neurodevelopment. Yet it still largely unknown which cell types brain are targeted. We show slices, predominantly infects microglia. This occurs heterogeneous but not highly microglia-enriched monoculture absence other types. By using organoid-microglia model, we further demonstrate leads to profound interferon response non-microglial cells, including neurons neural progenitor this attenuated by presence