West Nile Virus Induced Cell Death in the Central Nervous System
by
Bi-Hung Peng 1 and Tian Wang 2,3,4,*
Bi-Hung Peng 1 and Tian Wang 2,3,4,*
1
Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
2
Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
3
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
4
Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Pathogens 2019, 8(4), 215; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens8040215
Received: 30 September 2019 / Revised: 30 October 2019 / Accepted: 30 October 2019 / Published: 1 November 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis of West Nile Virus)
West Nile virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne, single-stranded flavivirus, has caused annual outbreaks of viral encephalitis in the United States since 1999. The virus induces acute infection with a clinical spectrum ranging from a mild flu-like febrile symptom to more severe neuroinvasive conditions, including meningitis, encephalitis, acute flaccid paralysis, and death. Some WNV convalescent patients also developed long-term neurological sequelae. Neither the treatment of WNV infection nor an approved vaccine is currently available for humans. Neuronal death in the central nervous system (CNS) is a hallmark of WNV-induced meningitis and encephalitis. However, the underlying mechanisms of WNV-induced neuronal damage are not well understood. In this review, we discuss current findings from studies of WNV infection in vitro in the CNS resident cells and the in vivo animal models, and provide insights into WNV-induced neuropathogenesis.
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Keywords:
West Nile virus; neuronal death; central nervous system; apoptosis
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MDPI and ACS Style
Peng, B.-H.; Wang, T. West Nile Virus Induced Cell Death in the Central Nervous System. Pathogens 2019, 8, 215.
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