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Updated: May 19, 2026
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Establishing Mouse Models for Zika Virus-induced Neurological Disorders Using Intracerebral Injection Strategies: Embryonic, Neonatal, and Adult
Published on: April 26, 2018
Spatially Resolved Microglial State Transitions Govern Strain-Specific Zika Neuropathogenesis
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|May 18, 2026
Summary
Zika virus (ZIKV) strains cause distinct brain changes. Asian ZIKV strains promote microglia to contain infection, while African strains lead to inflammation and severe neurological damage.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Virology
- Immunology
Background:
- Neurotropic viruses disrupt brain homeostasis.
- Understanding how viral strains affect disease severity and spatiotemporal progression is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a spatiotemporal atlas of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in the mouse brain.
- To compare Asian and African ZIKV strains' effects on brain cell populations and tissue architecture.
Main Methods:
- Integration of high-resolution spatial transcriptomics with infection-aware cell-type profiling.
- Analysis of early and late infection stages in mouse models.
Main Results:
- ZIKV strains induce structured, strain-dependent reorganization of immune and structural cells, creating infection-associated niches.
- Asian ZIKV strain infection involves disease-associated microglia (DAM) mediating containment via Apoe-Trem2 signaling.
- African ZIKV strain infection shows impaired Apoe-Trem2 signaling, persistent inflammation, and failed containment, leading to tissue disruption and neurological deficits.
Conclusions:
- A spatially resolved framework links viral strain-specific microglial states to tissue disorganization and neurological impairment.
- Mechanistic insights into how neurotropic viruses reshape microenvironments driving neurological disease were provided.
