• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home Headlines

Zika virus in Brazil kills brain cell, impairs intra uterine growth of mice fetuses

Bioengineer.org by Bioengineer.org
January 31, 2018
in Headlines, Health, Science News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

The Zika virus strain circulating in Brazil was shown to be able to infect and cause damage to mice fetuses. In stem cell cultures of the human nervous system, the virus infection resulted in the cell death. Compared to the virus circulating in Africa, the Brazilian version appears more lethal to cells that later in development would give rise to the variety that makes up the brain.

The results will be published in the online edition of the journal Nature on Wednesday, in the article "The Brazilian Zika virus causes birth defects in experimental models", which reports experiments led by researchers from USP. In mice, the virus was able to cross the placenta of infected fetuses, restrict their overall growth, and cause the death of cells that form the brain of mice. The evidence supports the link between the infection by the Brazilian virus Zika in pregnant women, and congenital malformations such as microcephaly. This is the first animal model for the study of the Zika virus circulating in Brazil.

In vitro experiments demonstrate the effects of infection by the Brazilian and African Zika, and compares the damage of one and the other on three different types of human nervous system cell culture, including the so-called "minibrains". These lab-grown structures simulate the stage of development of human fetuses in the first trimester of pregnancy.

In minibrains, African virus and virus circulating in Brazil caused the death of nerve cells; after four days of infection, the Brazilian virus caused more extensive cell death and almost extinguished the proliferating cells, indicating that the viral strain present in Brazil – originated in Asia – has different behavior from the African lineage.

###

The Brazilian Zika virus strain causes birth defects in experimental models Fernanda R. Cugola1, ¶, Isabella R. Fernandes1, 2, ¶, Fabiele B. Russo1, 3, ¶, Beatriz C. Freitas2, João L.M. Dias1, Katia P. Guimarães1, Cecília Benazzato1, Nathalia Almeida1, Graciela C. Pignatari1, 3, Sarah Romero2, Carolina M. Polonio4, Isabela Cunha4, Carla L. Freitas4, Wesley N. Brandão4, Cristiano Rossato4, David G. Andrade4, Daniele de P. Faria5, Alexandre T. Garcez5, Carlos A.. Buchpigel5, Carla T. Braconi6, Erica Mendes6, Amadou A. Sall7, Paolo M. de A. Zanotto6, Jean Pierre S. Peron4, *, Alysson R. Muotri2, *, Patricia C. B. BeltrãoBraga1, 8, *

1- University of São Paulo, Department of Surgery, Stem Cell Laboratory, São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-270, Brazil.

2- University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Stem Cell Program, La Jolla, CA 92037-0695, USA.

3- Tismoo, The Biotech Company, São Paulo, SP, 01401-000, Brazil.

4- University of São Paulo, Department of Immunology, Neuroimmune Interactions Laboratory, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil.

5- University of São Paulo, Department of Radiology and Oncology, USP School of Medicine, São Paulo, SP, 05403-010, Brazil.

6- University of São Paulo, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology Sciences, Laboratory of Molecular Evolution and Bioinformatics, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil.

7- Institute Pasteur in Dakar, Dakar 220, Sénégal.

8- School of Arts Sciences and Humanities, Department of Obstetrics, São Paulo, SP, 03828000, Brazil.

¶These authors contributed equally to this work.

*To whom correspondence should be addressed: Dr. Beltrão-Braga, Av, Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87. Cidade Universitária. CEP: 05508-270. São Paulo, SP. Brazil. Email: [email protected] Phone: +55 (11) 3091-1312. Dr. Muotri, 2880 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037. MC0695, E-mail: [email protected], Phone: +1 (858) 5349320. Dr. Jean Pierre S. Peron, Av. Prof. Dr. Lineu Prestes, 1730, Cidade Universitária. CEP: 05508-270. São Paulo, SP. Brazil. E-mail: [email protected], Phone: +55 (11) 30917430

Media Contact

USP Scientific Outreach Unit
[email protected]
55-112-648-1423
@usponline

http://sites.usp.br/distrofia

Share12Tweet7Share2ShareShareShare1

Related Posts

Optimized Features Enhance Lithium-Ion Battery Lifespan Predictions

Optimized Features Enhance Lithium-Ion Battery Lifespan Predictions

September 30, 2025

Neuron-Reactive KIR+CD8+ T Cells Drive Autoimmune Encephalitis

September 30, 2025

Al/Y Co-Doping Boosts Na3V2(PO4)3 Cathode Performance

September 30, 2025

Transarterial Embolization or Hemispherectomy for Infant Epilepsy?

September 30, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • New Study Reveals the Science Behind Exercise and Weight Loss

    New Study Reveals the Science Behind Exercise and Weight Loss

    87 shares
    Share 35 Tweet 22
  • Physicists Develop Visible Time Crystal for the First Time

    73 shares
    Share 29 Tweet 18
  • How Donor Human Milk Storage Impacts Gut Health in Preemies

    59 shares
    Share 24 Tweet 15
  • Scientists Discover and Synthesize Active Compound in Magic Mushrooms Again

    56 shares
    Share 22 Tweet 14

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

Optimized Features Enhance Lithium-Ion Battery Lifespan Predictions

Neuron-Reactive KIR+CD8+ T Cells Drive Autoimmune Encephalitis

Al/Y Co-Doping Boosts Na3V2(PO4)3 Cathode Performance

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 60 other subscribers
  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.