Zika Virus Infection in Pregnant Rhesus Macaques Causes Placental Dysfunction and Immunopathology

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2018 Jan 19

PMID 29343712

Citations 122

Authors

Alec J Hirsch

Victoria H J Roberts

Peta L Grigsby

Nicole Haese

Matthias C Schabel

Xiaojie Wang

Jamie O Lo

Zheng Liu

Christopher D Kroenke

Jessica L Smith

Meredith Kelleher

Rebecca Broeckel

Craig N Kreklywich

Christopher J Parkins

Michael Denton

Patricia Smith

Victor DeFilippis

William Messer

Jay A Nelson

Jon D Hennebold

Marjorie Grafe

Lois Colgin

Anne Lewis

Rebecca Ducore

Tonya Swanson

Alfred W Legasse

Michael K Axthelm

Rhonda MacAllister

Ashlee V Moses

Terry K Morgan

Antonio E Frias

Daniel N Streblow

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy leads to an increased risk of fetal growth restriction and fetal central nervous system malformations, which are outcomes broadly referred to as the Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS). Here we infect pregnant rhesus macaques and investigate the impact of persistent ZIKV infection on uteroplacental pathology, blood flow, and fetal growth and development. Despite seemingly normal fetal growth and persistent fetal-placenta-maternal infection, advanced non-invasive in vivo imaging studies reveal dramatic effects on placental oxygen reserve accompanied by significantly decreased oxygen permeability of the placental villi. The observation of abnormal oxygen transport within the placenta appears to be a consequence of uterine vasculitis and placental villous damage in ZIKV cases. In addition, we demonstrate a robust maternal-placental-fetal inflammatory response following ZIKV infection. This animal model reveals a potential relationship between ZIKV infection and uteroplacental pathology that appears to affect oxygen delivery to the fetus during development.

Citing Articles

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