Zika Virus Infection During Pregnancy And Induced Brain Pathology In Beclin1-Deficient Mouse Model

We investigated the role of the autophagy protein, Beclin1, in the replication and disease of Zika virus (ZIKV) in pregnant dams and their offspring using Beclin1-deficient (Atg6+/-) and wild-type (Atg6+/+) mouse model infected with the Honduran (R103451), Puerto Rican (PRVABC59), and the Uganda (MR766) strains of ZIKV. Pregnant dams infected subcutaneously at embryonic stage (E)9 showed viral RNA in serum harvested at E13 and in various organs removed postmortem at E17. Subcutaneous infections with ZIKV also showed the vertical transmission of ZIKV from the placenta to embryos removed postmortem at E17. From the three isolates, R103451-infected Atg6+/- dams had the lowest mortality rate while 30 % of their offspring containing the hemizygous beclin1 allele (Atg6+/-) were smaller in size and had smaller and underdeveloped brain. Growth impairment in the pups became noticeable after two weeks post-birth. After 21-days, pups were sacrificed and brain tissues removed postmortem showed expression of the envelope (E) and the non-structural (NS)-1 proteins, along with signs of neuronal injury, despite an absence in viral RNA detection. A significant decrease in the mRNA expression levels of the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) by 8-fold and a decrease in the mRNA expression levels of several microcephaly related genes along with an increase in the secretion of several inflammatory molecules may have contributed to the observed phenotype. Since autophagy regulates cytokines and chemokines production, a dysregulation in this pathway may have further exacerbated the pathology of ZIKV. IMPORTANCEPups delivered from ZIKV-infected dams showed significant growth impairments in the body and the brain. We believe that the reduction in insulin growth factor together with the increase secretion of inflammatory molecules may have triggered neuronal injury and the downregulation of the microcephalic genes, while reduced expression of the autophagy protein, Beclin1 further exacerbated the pathology. Although the mechanism is still unknown, the autophagy pathway seems to play a key role in ZIKV pathology. It is therefore of great significance to study the role of autophagy during viral infection with the goal to identify potential targets for anti-ZIKV therapeutic intervention.