Histopathological Analysis of Adrenal Glands after Simian Varicella Virus Infection
Latent varicella zoster virus (VZV) has been detected in human adrenal glands, raising the possibility of virus-induced adrenal damage and dysfunction during primary infection or reactivation. Rare cases of bilateral adrenal hemorrhage and insufficiency associated with VZV reactivation have been rep...
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author | Christy S. Niemeyer Teresa Mescher Rocio Griggs David J. Orlicky Gregory K. Wilkerson Andrew N. Bubak James E. Hassell Brittany Feia Ravi Mahalingam Vicki Traina-Dorge Maria A. Nagel |
author_facet | Christy S. Niemeyer Teresa Mescher Rocio Griggs David J. Orlicky Gregory K. Wilkerson Andrew N. Bubak James E. Hassell Brittany Feia Ravi Mahalingam Vicki Traina-Dorge Maria A. Nagel |
author_sort | Christy S. Niemeyer |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Latent varicella zoster virus (VZV) has been detected in human adrenal glands, raising the possibility of virus-induced adrenal damage and dysfunction during primary infection or reactivation. Rare cases of bilateral adrenal hemorrhage and insufficiency associated with VZV reactivation have been reported. Since there is no animal model for VZV infection of adrenal glands, we obtained adrenal glands from two non-human primates (NHPs) that spontaneously developed varicella from primary simian varicella virus (SVV) infection, the NHP VZV homolog. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis revealed SVV antigen and DNA in the adrenal medulla and cortex of both animals. Adrenal glands were observed to have Cowdry A inclusion bodies, cellular necrosis, multiple areas of hemorrhage, and varying amounts of polymorphonuclear cells. No specific association of SVV antigen with βIII-tubulin-positive nerve fibers was found. Overall, we found that SVV can productively infect NHP adrenal glands, and is associated with inflammation, hemorrhage, and cell death. These findings suggest that further studies are warranted to examine the contribution of VZV infection to human adrenal disease. This study also suggests that VZV infection may present itself as acute adrenal dysfunction with “long-hauler” symptoms of fatigue, weakness, myalgias/arthralgias, and hypotension. |
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issn | 1999-4915 |
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spelling | doaj.art-44083cbac1d84286906a4e499a8d1c0f2023-12-03T13:10:58ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152021-06-01137124510.3390/v13071245Histopathological Analysis of Adrenal Glands after Simian Varicella Virus InfectionChristy S. Niemeyer0Teresa Mescher1Rocio Griggs2David J. Orlicky3Gregory K. Wilkerson4Andrew N. Bubak5James E. Hassell6Brittany Feia7Ravi Mahalingam8Vicki Traina-Dorge9Maria A. Nagel10Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USADepartment of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USADepartment of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USADepartment of Pathology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USADepartment of Comparative Medicine, Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USADepartment of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USADepartment of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USADepartment of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USADepartment of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USAMicrobiology Division, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University, Covington, LA 70433, USADepartment of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USALatent varicella zoster virus (VZV) has been detected in human adrenal glands, raising the possibility of virus-induced adrenal damage and dysfunction during primary infection or reactivation. Rare cases of bilateral adrenal hemorrhage and insufficiency associated with VZV reactivation have been reported. Since there is no animal model for VZV infection of adrenal glands, we obtained adrenal glands from two non-human primates (NHPs) that spontaneously developed varicella from primary simian varicella virus (SVV) infection, the NHP VZV homolog. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis revealed SVV antigen and DNA in the adrenal medulla and cortex of both animals. Adrenal glands were observed to have Cowdry A inclusion bodies, cellular necrosis, multiple areas of hemorrhage, and varying amounts of polymorphonuclear cells. No specific association of SVV antigen with βIII-tubulin-positive nerve fibers was found. Overall, we found that SVV can productively infect NHP adrenal glands, and is associated with inflammation, hemorrhage, and cell death. These findings suggest that further studies are warranted to examine the contribution of VZV infection to human adrenal disease. This study also suggests that VZV infection may present itself as acute adrenal dysfunction with “long-hauler” symptoms of fatigue, weakness, myalgias/arthralgias, and hypotension.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/7/1245varicella zoster virussimian varicella virusadrenal glandsadrenal dysfunctionhypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis |
spellingShingle | Christy S. Niemeyer Teresa Mescher Rocio Griggs David J. Orlicky Gregory K. Wilkerson Andrew N. Bubak James E. Hassell Brittany Feia Ravi Mahalingam Vicki Traina-Dorge Maria A. Nagel Histopathological Analysis of Adrenal Glands after Simian Varicella Virus Infection Viruses varicella zoster virus simian varicella virus adrenal glands adrenal dysfunction hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis |
title | Histopathological Analysis of Adrenal Glands after Simian Varicella Virus Infection |
title_full | Histopathological Analysis of Adrenal Glands after Simian Varicella Virus Infection |
title_fullStr | Histopathological Analysis of Adrenal Glands after Simian Varicella Virus Infection |
title_full_unstemmed | Histopathological Analysis of Adrenal Glands after Simian Varicella Virus Infection |
title_short | Histopathological Analysis of Adrenal Glands after Simian Varicella Virus Infection |
title_sort | histopathological analysis of adrenal glands after simian varicella virus infection |
topic | varicella zoster virus simian varicella virus adrenal glands adrenal dysfunction hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/7/1245 |
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