Dengue Fever Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Dengue Fever, including details on symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, prevention.

Dengue neurovirulence in mice: identification of molecular signatures in the E and NS3 helicase domains.

Bordignon J, Strottmann DM, Mosimann AL, Probst CM, Stella V, Noronha L, Zanata SM, Dos Santos CN

Instituto de Biologia Molecular do Paraná/FIOCRUZ, Rua Prof Algacyr Munhoz Máder, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.

Recent observations indicate that the clinical profile of dengue virus (DENV) infection is changing, and that neurological manifestations are becoming frequent. The neuro pathogenesis of dengue, and the contribution of viral and host factors to the disease are not well understood. To define the amino acid substitutions in DENV potentially implicated in the acquisition of a neurovirulent phenotype we used a murine model to characterize two neuroadapted strains of DENV-1, FGA/NA a5c (previously obtained), and FGA/NA P6 (recently obtained). Only three amino acid substitutions were identified in the neurovirulent strains, mapping to the E and NS3 helicase domains. These mutations enhanced the ability of neuroadapted viral strains to replicate in the CNS of infected mice, causing extensive damage with leptomeningitis and encephalitis.

Published 23 August 2007 in J Med Virol, 79(10): 1506-17.
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