Replication of Rocio virus in primary cultures of mouse neural cells

• Published in: Einstein (São Paulo, Brazil) Vol. 21; p. eAO0160
• Main Authors: Souto, Adriano da Paixão, Casseb, Samir Mansour Moraes, Melo, Karla Fabiane Lopes de, Martins Filho, Arnaldo Jorge, Franco, Edna Cristina Santos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein 01-01-2023
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, viral; Brain; Cells, Cultured; Central nervous system infections; Disease models, animal; Flavivirus; Flavivirus infection; Flavivirus Infections - metabolism; Flavivirus Infections - pathology; MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL; Mice; Neurons - metabolism; Neurons - pathology; Original; Primary cell culture; Rocio virus; Rocio virus; Antigens, viral; Flavivirus infection; Mice; Disease models, animal; Central nervous system infections; Flavivirus; Primary cell culture
• ISSN: 1679-4508; 2317-6385; 2317-6385
• DOI: 10.31744/einstein_journal/2023AO0160

This study verified the replication efficiency of the Rocio virus in a primary culture of mouse neural cells.
Mixed primary cultures (neurons/glia) obtained from the brains of newborn isogenic BALB/c mice were inoculated with Rocio virus on the 7 th day of culture, and the development of cytopathogenic effects was monitored. The infection was confirmed via immunocytochemistry (anti-ROCV), while viral replication was quantified in infected primary cultures. The titration method used depended on the infection period.
Rocio virus efficiently infected primary cultured neural cells, with the highest viral titer causing cytopathic changes was observed at 2 days post infection. The virus-infected primary culture survived for up to 7 days post infection, and viral load quantitation showed viral replication kinetics compatible with the cell death kinetics of cultures.
The findings of this study suggest that mouse neural cell primary cultures support Rocio virus replication and could be used as an alternative system for studying Flavivirus infection in the central nervous system.