Usutu Virus Infection of Embryonated Chicken Eggs and a Chicken Embryo-Derived Primary Cell Line
Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, closely related to the West Nile virus (WNV). Similar to WNV, USUV may cause infections in humans, with occasional, but sometimes severe, neurological complications. Further, USUV can be highly pathogenic in wild and captive birds and its circulatio...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/12/5/531 |
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| author | Emna Benzarti José Rivas Michaël Sarlet Mathieu Franssen Nassim Moula Giovanni Savini Alessio Lorusso Daniel Desmecht Mutien-Marie Garigliany |
| author_facet | Emna Benzarti José Rivas Michaël Sarlet Mathieu Franssen Nassim Moula Giovanni Savini Alessio Lorusso Daniel Desmecht Mutien-Marie Garigliany |
| author_sort | Emna Benzarti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, closely related to the West Nile virus (WNV). Similar to WNV, USUV may cause infections in humans, with occasional, but sometimes severe, neurological complications. Further, USUV can be highly pathogenic in wild and captive birds and its circulation in Europe has given rise to substantial avian death. Adequate study models of this virus are still lacking but are critically needed to understand its pathogenesis and virulence spectrum. The chicken embryo is a low-cost, easy-to-manipulate and ethically acceptable model that closely reflects mammalian fetal development and allows immune response investigations, drug screening, and high-throughput virus production for vaccine development. While former studies suggested that this model was refractory to USUV infection, we unexpectedly found that high doses of four phylogenetically distinct USUV strains caused embryonic lethality. By employing immunohistochemistry and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, we demonstrated that USUV was widely distributed in embryonic tissues, including the brain, retina, and feather follicles. We then successfully developed a primary cell line from the chorioallantoic membrane that was permissive to the virus without the need for viral adaptation. We believe the future use of these models would foster a significant understanding of USUV-induced neuropathogenesis and immune response and allow the future development of drugs and vaccines against USUV. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:53:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-69307be39aa445a88389913e99a01465 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:53:34Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-69307be39aa445a88389913e99a014652023-11-20T00:08:00ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152020-05-0112553110.3390/v12050531Usutu Virus Infection of Embryonated Chicken Eggs and a Chicken Embryo-Derived Primary Cell LineEmna Benzarti0José Rivas1Michaël Sarlet2Mathieu Franssen3Nassim Moula4Giovanni Savini5Alessio Lorusso6Daniel Desmecht7Mutien-Marie Garigliany8Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000 Liège, BelgiumFundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000 Liège, BelgiumFundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000 Liège, BelgiumFundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000 Liège, BelgiumFundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000 Liège, BelgiumOIE Reference Centre for West Nile Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale “G. Caporale”, 46100 Teramo, ItalyOIE Reference Centre for West Nile Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale “G. Caporale”, 46100 Teramo, ItalyFundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000 Liège, BelgiumFundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000 Liège, BelgiumUsutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, closely related to the West Nile virus (WNV). Similar to WNV, USUV may cause infections in humans, with occasional, but sometimes severe, neurological complications. Further, USUV can be highly pathogenic in wild and captive birds and its circulation in Europe has given rise to substantial avian death. Adequate study models of this virus are still lacking but are critically needed to understand its pathogenesis and virulence spectrum. The chicken embryo is a low-cost, easy-to-manipulate and ethically acceptable model that closely reflects mammalian fetal development and allows immune response investigations, drug screening, and high-throughput virus production for vaccine development. While former studies suggested that this model was refractory to USUV infection, we unexpectedly found that high doses of four phylogenetically distinct USUV strains caused embryonic lethality. By employing immunohistochemistry and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, we demonstrated that USUV was widely distributed in embryonic tissues, including the brain, retina, and feather follicles. We then successfully developed a primary cell line from the chorioallantoic membrane that was permissive to the virus without the need for viral adaptation. We believe the future use of these models would foster a significant understanding of USUV-induced neuropathogenesis and immune response and allow the future development of drugs and vaccines against USUV.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/12/5/531flaviviruschicken embryomodelUsutu viruschorioallantoic membraneprimary culture |
| spellingShingle | Emna Benzarti José Rivas Michaël Sarlet Mathieu Franssen Nassim Moula Giovanni Savini Alessio Lorusso Daniel Desmecht Mutien-Marie Garigliany Usutu Virus Infection of Embryonated Chicken Eggs and a Chicken Embryo-Derived Primary Cell Line Viruses flavivirus chicken embryo model Usutu virus chorioallantoic membrane primary culture |
| title | Usutu Virus Infection of Embryonated Chicken Eggs and a Chicken Embryo-Derived Primary Cell Line |
| title_full | Usutu Virus Infection of Embryonated Chicken Eggs and a Chicken Embryo-Derived Primary Cell Line |
| title_fullStr | Usutu Virus Infection of Embryonated Chicken Eggs and a Chicken Embryo-Derived Primary Cell Line |
| title_full_unstemmed | Usutu Virus Infection of Embryonated Chicken Eggs and a Chicken Embryo-Derived Primary Cell Line |
| title_short | Usutu Virus Infection of Embryonated Chicken Eggs and a Chicken Embryo-Derived Primary Cell Line |
| title_sort | usutu virus infection of embryonated chicken eggs and a chicken embryo derived primary cell line |
| topic | flavivirus chicken embryo model Usutu virus chorioallantoic membrane primary culture |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/12/5/531 |
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