Timea Teglas, Silvia Torices, Anne Caroline Marcos, Bogusława Orzechowska-Wylęgała, Michal Toborek
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne Flavivirus with a strong affinity for the central nervous system (CNS). After infection, ZIKV can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and reach the CNS, causing potential harm to both adult and developing brains.
Methods: The current study aims to evaluate how dysregulated circadian rhythms can affect brain infection by ZIKV, as biorhythms regulate essential physiological processes and disrupted circadian clock can contribute to the pathogenesis of multiple disorders. Both ZIKV infection and circadian rhythm alterations have been related to the disruption of the BBB integrity by modulating the expression of the tight junction (TJ) proteins, however, the input of circadian misalignment on ZIKV infection has never been studied in the literature.
Results: Infection of brain endothelial cells with ZIKV selectively impacted endothelial permeability and dysregulated the expression of TJ and mitochondrial proteins. Importantly, these effects were potentiated by silencing Bmal1, a critical circadian rhythm gene. These results were then confirmed in vivo in Bmal1 endothelial cell-specific knockout mice, which were infected with ZIKV at 105 PFU (plaque-forming unit) by retro-orbital infusion. ZIKV infection resulted in a marked decrease in claudin-5, occludin, JAM-3, and ZO-1 expression levels in these mice. In addition, ZIKV affected the expression of FIS1 protein levels and the respiratory complexes of II, III, and IV in mice lacking Bmal1 expression in endothelial cells.
Conclusions: Findings from this study contribute to a better understanding of the impact of circadian misalignment on the pathology of ZIKV infection in the adult brain.
期刊介绍:
"Fluids and Barriers of the CNS" is a scholarly open access journal that specializes in the intricate world of the central nervous system's fluids and barriers, which are pivotal for the health and well-being of the human body. This journal is a peer-reviewed platform that welcomes research manuscripts exploring the full spectrum of CNS fluids and barriers, with a particular focus on their roles in both health and disease.
At the heart of this journal's interest is the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a vital fluid that circulates within the brain and spinal cord, playing a multifaceted role in the normal functioning of the brain and in various neurological conditions. The journal delves into the composition, circulation, and absorption of CSF, as well as its relationship with the parenchymal interstitial fluid and the neurovascular unit at the blood-brain barrier (BBB).