Work

Type I interferon controls vertical transmission and fetoplacental infection of Oropouche virus

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The current outbreak of the emerging arthropod-transmitted Oropouche virus (OROV) in South America has been epidemiologically linked to vertical transmissions, microcephaly, and stillbirths. Nevertheless, the impact of OROV infection during pregnancy has not been experimentally evaluated. To address how OROV infection might impact pregnancy outcome, we performed experiments in human cells and mice. Studies in cell cultures showed that the human trophoblast cell lines BeWo and JEG-3 are permissive to OROV infection (strain BeAn19991) and develop type I interferon (IFN)-dependent antiviral response. In our model, loss of type I IFN signaling in the dam resulted in the spread of virus to the placenta and fetus, whereas loss in the fetus alone was not sufficient to cause fetal infection. Collectively, our study shows that placental cells are susceptible to OROV infection and that the outcome for fetus depends on the integrity of the type I IFN immune response in the dam.

Source: iScience

DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.114647

Authors: Stefanie Primon Muraro, Gabriela Fabiano de Souza, Yael Alippe, Camila Lopes Simeoni, Aline Vieira, Julia Forato, Paula Mendes Lavagnini, Carolina Manganeli Polonio, Lilian Gomes de Oliveira, Matheus Cavalheiro Martini, Xinyi Hua, Michelle Elam-Noll, William M. de Souza, Luciano Figueiredo Borges, Maria Laura Costa, Jean Pierre Schatzmann Peron, Michael S. Diamond, José Luiz Proenca-Modena

Institutions: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Washington University in St. Louis, Universidade de São Paulo, University of Kentucky, Universidade Federal de São Paulo

Language: English

Topic: interferon and immune responses

Subfield: Immunology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,240

Funders: National Science Foundation, Wellcome Trust, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Fundo de Apoio ao Ensino, à Pesquisa e Extensão, Universidade Estadual de Campinas

Awards: Pathogenesis and neurovirulence of emerging viruses in Brazil, G3135932678, G3261974663, G4355978723, G5512256782, ARBOVERSE, a data-driven platform and disease modeling to anticipating and mitigating arbovirus emergence, G8913196514

OpenAlex ID: W7123336588

FWCI: 11.48

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Cited by: 5

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