Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 22, 2025
Evaluation of Zika Virus-specific T-cell Responses in Immunoprivileged Organs of Infected Ifnar1-/- Mice
Published on: October 17, 2018
Isolation and Detection of Zika Virus-Infected Rhesus Macaques Lymph Node Cells and Splenocytes
Nicole Haese1,2, Alec J Hirsch1,2, Daniel N Streblow3,4
1The Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR, USA.
Abstract:
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne viral infection that is shed in biological fluids promoting vertical and sexual transmission. Recent outbreaks of ZIKV have been associated with an increase in adult and fetal infection-related diseases. ZIKV infection in rhesus macaques is considered a robust animal model for studying Zika viral infection dynamics and fetal disease. A compelling feature of ZIKV is its ability to persist for long periods of time in immunocompetent hosts and during pregnancy, which may be linked to adverse infection outcomes. One consistent site of viral persistence is lymph node tissues. Utilizing this feature of ZIKV infection could be useful to diagnose viral persistence and to improve efficacy evaluation of antiviral vaccines and therapeutics, as well as for diagnostic and prognostic assessments in humans. We have developed a protocol to isolate lymph node cells using cell type-specific antibody-magnetic bead techniques followed by a one-step qRT-PCR detection of Zika virus RNA. This method fostered the identification of dendritic cells, macrophages, and B cells from the lymph node and spleen as harboring persistent ZIKV RNA.
Insights
Researchers identified persistent Zika virus (ZIKV) RNA in lymph node cells, including dendritic cells, macrophages, and B cells. This finding aids in diagnosing viral persistence and evaluating ZIKV vaccines and therapeutics.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Zika virus (ZIKV) causes significant adult and fetal diseases and can persist in immunocompetent hosts and during pregnancy.
- Lymph node tissues are a consistent site of ZIKV persistence, offering potential for diagnostic and therapeutic advancements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for detecting persistent ZIKV RNA in lymph node cells.
- To identify specific immune cell types harboring persistent ZIKV RNA.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of lymph node cells using cell type-specific antibody-magnetic bead techniques.
- One-step quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) for Zika virus RNA detection.
Main Results:
- Successfully isolated dendritic cells, macrophages, and B cells from lymph node and spleen tissues.
- Identified persistent ZIKV RNA within these identified immune cell populations.
Conclusions:
- The developed protocol effectively identifies ZIKV RNA in specific lymph node immune cells, indicating their role in viral persistence.
- This method can be valuable for diagnosing ZIKV persistence, evaluating antiviral interventions, and informing prognostic assessments.
More Related Videos
10:31Isolation and Quantification of Zika Virus from Multiple Organs in a Mouse
Published on: August 15, 2019
13:13Single-cell Quantitation of mRNA and Surface Protein Expression in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-infected CD4+ T Cells Isolated from Rhesus macaques
Published on: September 25, 2018