Dual Blades: The Role of Musashi 1 in Zika Replication and Microcephaly

Cell Host Microbe. 2017 Jul 12;22(1):9-11. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2017.06.015.

Abstract

Infection with Zika virus (ZIKV) during pregnancy may cause severe developmental defects in the human brain via unknown mechanisms. In a recent issue of Science, Chavali et al. (2017) identified a neural progenitor cell (NPC)-specific RNA binding protein that may underlie the high levels of ZIKV replication and apoptosis observed in these cells during congenital infections.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Brain / embryology
  • Brain / virology
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Movement / physiology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Microcephaly / etiology*
  • Microcephaly / genetics
  • Microcephaly / metabolism
  • Microcephaly / virology
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / physiology*
  • Neural Stem Cells / virology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / virology
  • RNA, Viral
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / physiology*
  • Virus Replication / physiology*
  • Zika Virus / genetics
  • Zika Virus / pathogenicity
  • Zika Virus / physiology*
  • Zika Virus Infection / complications
  • Zika Virus Infection / congenital*
  • Zika Virus Infection / transmission
  • Zika Virus Infection / virology

Substances

  • MSI1 protein, human
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • RNA, Viral
  • RNA-Binding Proteins