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Pathology and Transcriptomic Characteristics of Skin Lesions Induced by Mpox Virus in Rabbit
Chaode Gu1,2, Yingwei Zhang3, Jianshu Li1
1State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science & Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Journal of Medical Virology
|May 21, 2026
Summary
Mpox virus (MPXV) causes severe skin lesions in rabbits, with viral replication concentrated in skin cells. This study details MPXV
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Dermatology
- Pathology
Background:
- Mpox, a zoonotic disease caused by mpox virus (MPXV), continues to cause severe outbreaks in Africa.
- Understanding MPXV's cutaneous pathogenesis in vivo is limited, hindering effective treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the histopathological and molecular characteristics of mpox virus-induced skin lesions.
- To establish a rabbit intravenous infection model for studying MPXV skin pathogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Intravenous inoculation of rabbits with MPXV.
- Histopathological examination of skin lesions.
- Viral load quantification in tissues.
- Transcriptomic analysis of skin lesions.
Main Results:
- Cutaneous lesion development was dose-dependent.
- MPXV replicated predominantly in keratinocytes and fibroblasts within skin lesions.
- Lesions showed epidermal acanthosis, parakeratosis, pustule formation, and characteristic poxviral inclusions.
- MPXV infection activated cell cycle genes and the systemic lupus erythematosus pathway in the skin.
Conclusions:
- The rabbit model effectively mimics MPXV-induced skin lesions.
- MPXV significantly impacts keratinocyte cell cycle and activates specific immune pathways in the skin.
- This research provides insights into MPXV-host interactions and cutaneous pathogenesis.
