Measuring Transendothelial Electrical Resistance (TEER) for Dengue Infection Studies

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Endothelial cells (ECs) are implicated in dengue virus (DENV) pathogenesis, potentially causing vascular permeability and hemorrhage in severe cases.
• The direct role of DENV-infected ECs in causing permeability versus extrinsinc factors like immune activation or antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether Dengue virus infection of endothelial cells directly induces vascular permeability.
• To quantify the integrity of endothelial cell monolayers following DENV infection using transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER).

Main Methods:

• Utilized cell culture models of endothelial monolayers.
• Measured transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) to assess tight junction integrity.
• Infected endothelial cells with Dengue virus (DENV).

Main Results:

• Dengue virus (DENV) infection of endothelial cells (ECs) did not result in increased vascular permeability in vitro.
• Transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements indicated intact tight junctions in DENV-infected ECs.

Conclusions:

• Endothelial cells (ECs) are not directly rendered permeable by Dengue virus (DENV) infection in vitro.
• Extrinsic factors beyond direct EC infection are likely responsible for the vascular permeability observed in severe dengue cases.