Neuronal Degeneration in mice induced by an epidemic strain of Saint Louis Encephalitis virus isolated in Argentina

MARÍA ELISA RIVAROLA; SOLEDAD DE OLMOS; GUILLERMO ALBRIEU LLINÁS; LAURA B TAURO; MELISA GOROSITO-SERRÁN; BRENDA KONIGHEIM; MARTA S. CONTIGIANI; ADRIANA GRUPPI

Frontiers in Microbiology

Frontiers Media S.A.

Año: 2018

1664-302X

Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) is a neglected flavivirus that causes severe 46 neurological disorders. The epidemic strain of SLEV, CbaAr-4005, isolated during an 47 outbreak in Córdoba city (Argentina), causes meningitis and encephalitis associated with 48 neurological symptoms in a murine experimental model. Here, we identified the affected 49 brain areas and the damage triggered by this neurotropic arbovirus. We performed a 50 detailed analysis of brain neurodegeneration associated with CbaAr-4005 SLEV infection 51 in mice. The motor cortex, corpus striatum and cerebellum were the most affected 52 structures. Neurodegeneration was also found in the olfactory bulb, thalamus, 53 hypothalamus, hippocampus, and hindbrain. SLEV infection triggered brain cell apoptosis 54 as well as somatodendritic and terminal degeneration. In addition, we observed massive 55 excitotoxic-like degeneration in many cortical structures. Apoptosis was also detected in 56 the neuroblastoma cell line N2a cultured with SLEV. The results evidenced that SLEV 57 CbaAr-4005 infection induced severe degenerative alterations within the central nervous 58 system of infected mice, providing new information about the targets of this flavivirus 59 infection