Induction of Inflammation by West Nile virus Capsid through the Caspase-9 Apoptotic Pathway

Induction of Inflammation by West Nile virus Capsid through the Caspase-9 Apoptotic Pathway

Blog Article

West Nile virus (WNV) is a member of the Flaviviridae family of vector-borne pathogens.Clinical signs of WNV infection include neurologic symptoms, limb weakness, and encephalitis, which can result kenda k372 in paralysis or death.We report that the WNV-capsid (Cp) by itself induces rapid nuclear condensation and cell death in tissue culture.Apoptosis is induced through the mitochondrial pathway resulting in caspase-9 biab spirited activation and downstream caspase-3 activation.Capsid gene delivery into the striatum of mouse brain or interskeletal muscle resulted in cell death and inflammation, likely through capsid-induced apoptosis in vivo.

These studies demonstrate that the capsid protein of WNV may be responsible for aspects of viral pathogenesis through induction of the apoptotic cascade.