Neurovirulence of Zika virus-encoded proteins

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a neurophilic arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) that causes severe neurological disease in humans. ZIKV encodes three structural proteins (capsid protein, C; precursor membrane protein, prM; and envelope protein, Env) and seven non-structural proteins (NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5). These viral proteins not only participate in the replication of the virus but are also involved in immune evasion and virus-mediated neuropathogenicity. Thus, the functional interactions between viral proteins and cellular events are systemically reviewed here to provide insights to the mechanisms of virus-induced pathogenicity.