Role of inflammatory cytokine burst in neuro-invasion of Japanese Encephalitis virus infection: an immunotherapeutic approaches (original) (raw)

Highly permissive infection of microglial cells by Japanese encephalitis virus: a possible role as a viral reservoir

Microbes and Infection, 2010

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a mosquito-borne Flavivirus, is a major cause of acute encephalitis, and neurons have been proposed to be the principle JEV target cells in the central nervous system. However, clinically, infection with JEV leads to increased levels of cytokines and chemokines in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) the levels of which correlate with the mortality rate of patients. This research aimed to study the role of microglial cells in JEV infection. Mouse microglial cells (BV-2) supported the replication of JEV with extracellular production of virus by 10 h post-infection, and virus titer reached a maximum (2.55 Â 10 10 pfu/ml) by day 3 post-infection. While apoptosis was induced in response to virus infection, no alteration in nitric oxide production was observed. Microglial cells remained productively infected with JEV for up to 16 weeks without significant morphological alterations, and the released virions were infectious to mouse neuroblastoma (NA) cells. The high virus production and long persistence of JEV in microglial cells suggests that these cells may serve as viral reservoirs for the infection of neurons in the CNS.

The Involvement of Microglial Cells in Japanese Encephalitis Infections

Clinical and Developmental Immunology, 2012

Despite the availability of effective vaccines, Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infections remain a leading cause of encephalitis in many Asian countries. The virus is transmitted to humans byCulexmosquitoes, and, while the majority of human infections are asymptomatic, up to 30% of JE cases admitted to hospital die and 50% of the survivors suffer from neurological sequelae. Microglia are brain-resident macrophages that play key roles in both the innate and adaptive immune responses in the CNS and are thus of importance in determining the pathology of encephalitis as a result of JEV infection.

Recent advances in understanding Japanese encephalitis

F1000Research

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a clinical manifestation of the brain inflammation caused by JE virus (JEV). This virus imparts permanent neurological damage, thus imposing a heavy burden on public health and society. Neuro-inflammation is the hallmark of JEV infection. The prolonged pro-inflammatory response is due primarily to microglial activation, which eventually leads to severe encephalitis. A continual effort is going on in the scientific community toward an understanding of cellular and molecular factors that are involved in JEV neuro-invasion and inflammatory processes. This review not only gives a comprehensive update on the recent advances on understanding virus structure and mechanisms of pathogenesis but also briefly discusses crucial unresolved issues. We also highlight challenging areas of research that might open new avenues for controlling virus-induced neuro-inflammation.

Exaggerated levels of some specific TLRs, Cytokines and Chemokines in Japanese encephalitis infected BV2 and neuro2A cell lines associated with worst outcome

Japanese encephalitis (JE) disease, a viral brain fever is caused by Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). Despite the availability of effective vaccines against this deadly infection, JE is the leading cause of epidemic viral encephalitis in children in South-east Asia. There is no treatment available for the JE disease which might be due to incomplete understanding of the pathogenesis of JE virus. The JEV infections lead to permanent neurological deficits even in those who survive from the infection. Activated microglia may play a potentially detrimental role by eliciting the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) influencing the surrounding brain tissue. Microglial activation, proinflammatory cytokine release and leukocytes trafficking are associated following JEV infection in CNS. How the pattern recognition receptors sense the viral nucleic acid and how the microglial and neuronal cells behaves following JEV ...

Proinflammatory mediators released by activated microglia induces neuronal death in Japanese encephalitis

Glia, 2007

While a number of studies have documented the importance of microglia in central nervous system (CNS) response to injury, infection and disease, little is known regarding its role in viral encephalitis. We therefore, exploited an experimental model of Japanese Encephalitis, to better understand the role played by microglia in Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) infection. Lectin staining performed to assess microglial activation indicated a robust increase in reactive microglia following infection. A difference in the topographic distribution of activated, resting, and phagocytic microglia was also observed. The levels of various proinflammatory mediators, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2), IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and MCP-1 that have been implicated in microglial response to an activational state was significantly elevated following infection. These cytokines exhibited region selective expression in the brains of infected animals, with the highest expression observed in the hippocampus. Moreover, the expression of neuronal specific nuclear protein NeuN was markedly downregulated during progressive infection indicating neuronal loss. In vitro studies further confirmed that microglial activation and subsequent release of various proinflammatory mediators induces neuronal death following JEV infection. Although initiation of immune responses by microglial cells is an important protective mechanism in the CNS, unrestrained inflammatory responses may result in irreparable brain damage. Our findings suggest that the increased microglial activation following JEV infection influences the outcome of viral pathogenesis. It is likely that the increased microglial activation triggers bystander damage, as the animals eventually succumb to infection. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Expression profile of Japanese encephalitis virus induced neuroinflammation and its implication in disease severity

Journal of Clinical Virology, 2010

Background: Host immune response particularly through the induction of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in Japanese encephalitis virus infection has not been clearly understood in relation with pathogenicity and disease severity. The newly identified host mediators of pathogenesis could be the future target for diagnostic and therapeutics purpose. Objectives: We investigated the mechanism of JE virus induced pathogenesis in terms of proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine secretion at molecular level in young one-week-old BALB/c mouse after subcutaneous administration of JEV. Study design: Histopathology of brain was done to observe the morphological changes after JEV infection and genes relevant to macrophage activation, chemokine secretion, inflammatory cell infiltration, and blood-brain barrier permeability were examined at their gene and protein expression level for various time points after infection. Results: At 6-day post-infection 100% mortality was observed. At 5-day post-infection, there was a robust expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines with increased number of infiltrating inflammatory cells into the brain. Histopathology data confirms the infiltration of leucocytes and there was a marked upregulation in expression of genes relevant to infiltration. The expression pattern of macrophage receptor CLEC5A/DAP-12 signaling has shown the involvement in this robust neuroinflammation. Conclusions: This is the first report that shows the involvement of monocyte and macrophage receptor CLEC5A in severe inflammatory response in JEV infection of brain. This study at gene expression level provides a hypothesis of neuroinflammation, a new lead in development of appropriate therapeutic, and prophylactics against Japanese encephalitis.

Japanese encephalitis virus differentially modulates the induction of multiple pro-inflammatory mediators in human astrocytoma and astroglioma cell-lines

Cell Biology International, 2008

Astrocytes become activated in response to many CNS pathologies. The process of astrocyte activation remains rather enigmatic and results in so-called reactive gliosis, a reaction with specific structural and functional characteristics. Astrocytes play a vital role in regulating aspects of inflammation and in the homeostatic maintenance of the CNS. However, the responses of different human astroglial cell-lines in viral encephalitis mediated inflammation are not well documented. We have shown that Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection causes morphological and functional changes in astrocytic cell-lines. We have demonstrated that besides reactive oxygen species (ROS) JEV infection differentially regulated the induction pattern of IL-6, IL-1b and IL-8. IP-10, MCP-1, MIG and RANTES secretions in different astroglial celllines. The expression of different proteins such as astrocyte-specific glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), the glutamate aspartate transporter/ essential amino acid transporter-1 (GLAST/EAAT-1), glutamate transporter-1/essential amino acid transporter-2 (GLT-1/EAAT-2), Ceruloplasmin and Thioredoxin (TRX) expression level also differ in different human astrocyte cell-lines following infection. Ó

Pathogenesis and Host Immune Response during Japanese Encephalitis Virus Infection

2021

Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) is a mosquito borne flavivirus infection. Transmission of JEV starts with the infected mosquito bite where human dermis layer act as the primary site of infection. Once JEV makes its entry into blood, it infects monocytes wherein the viral replication peaks up without any cell death and results in production of TNF-α. One of the most characteristics pathogenesis of JEV is the breaching of blood brain barrier (BBB). JEV propagation occurs in neurons that results in neuronal cell death as well as dissemination of virus into astrocytes and microglia leading to overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines. JEV infection results in host cells mediated secretion of various types of cytokines including type-1 IFN along with TNF-α and IFN-γ. Molecule like nitrous oxide (NO) exhibits antiviral activities against JEV infection and helps in inhibiting the viral replication by blocking protein synthesis and viral RNA and also in virus infected cells clearance. I...

Immunomodulatory Cytokines Determine the Outcome of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Infection in Mice

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) induces an acute infection of the central nervous system, the pathogenic mechanism of which is not fully understood. To investigate host response to JEV infection, 14-day-old mice were infected via the extraneural route, which resulted in encephalitis and death. Mice that received JEV immune splenocyte transfer were protected from extraneural JEV infection. Pathology and gene expression profiles were then compared in brains of mice that either succumbed to JEV infection or were protected from infection by JEV immune cell transfer. Mice undergoing progressive JEV infection had increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and signal transducers associated with the interferon (IFN) pathway. In contrast, mice receiving immune cell transfer had increased production of the Th2 cytokine IL-4, and of IL-10, with subdued expression of IFN-g. We observed IL-10 to be an important factor in determining clinical outcome in JEV infection. Data obtained by microarray analysis were further confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. Together, these data suggest that JEV infection causes an unregulated inflammatory response that can be countered by the expression of immunomodulatory cytokines in mice that survive lethal infection. J. Med. Virol. 82:304– 310, 2010.  2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. KEY WORDS: Japanese encephalitis; microarray; adoptive transfer; splenocytes INTRODUCTION Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a flaviviral disease of great medical importance. Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection occurs throughout most of Asia and is also spreading to new geographical areas like Australia. Children are at greatest risk of infection in endemic areas [Ruben and Gajanana, 1997]. Factors governing the establishment of JEV infection in the central nervous system (CNS) are poorly understood. The course of disease in humans can effectively be replicated in laboratory rodents. Young mice are susceptible to extraneural inoculation with JEV and succumb to infection soon after the establishment of infection in the CNS [Johnson et al., 1985; Hase et al., 1990]. The adoptive transfer ofJEVimmunesplenocytes into these young mice has been shown to confer protection against subsequent lethal challenge with JEV, thus demonstrating a role for cellular immunity in JEV infection [Biswas et al., 2009]. Differential expression profiling of genes using high throughput system enables the identification of critical genes responsible for modulation of infection and a subsequent understanding of the cellular and molecular pathways associated with disease progression. Most gene profiling studies in flavivirus infection have been carried out using permissive cell lines. Microarray analysis of human glioblastoma cells infected with West Nile Virus revealed the differential expression of 173 cellular genes, of which 23 were identified that might play a role in cellular neuro-degeneration [Koh and Ng, 2005]. Apoptosis was identified as the mechanism of cell death induced by JEV replication in several neuronal and non-neuronal cell lines [Liao et al., 1997]. In addition, activation of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) and signaling through the TNFR-associated death domain (TRADD) following JEV infection was assumed to trigger downstream apoptotic cascades in mouse and human neuroblastoma cell lines [Swarup et al., 2007a

Abrogated Inflammatory Response Promotes Neurogenesis in a Murine Model of Japanese Encephalitis

PLoS ONE, 2011

Background: Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) induces neuroinflammation with typical features of viral encephalitis, including inflammatory cell infiltration, activation of microglia, and neuronal degeneration. The detrimental effects of inflammation on neurogenesis have been reported in various models of acute and chronic inflammation. We investigated whether JEV-induced inflammation has similar adverse effects on neurogenesis and whether those effects can be reversed using an anti-inflammatory compound minocycline.