iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
U.S. researchers have uncovered how the Zika virus secretly spreads within placental cells, causing immune system disruptions and potentially leading to foetal death.
Known for causing neurological disorders, foetal abnormalities, and death when contracted during pregnancy, the Zika virus has long been a concern.
Previously, it was unclear how the virus managed to cross the placenta, a vital barrier protecting the developing foetus from harmful substances and pathogens.
Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and Pennsylvania State University discovered that Zika virus uses underground pathways called tunnelling nanotubes—tiny tubes that allow viral particles to move between infected and uninfected cells.
The study revealed that a Zika virus protein, NS1, plays a key role in creating these tunnels. Dr. Rafael T. Michita, a postdoctoral research associate at Baylor, explained, “Exposure of placental cells to the NS1 protein of Zika virus triggers tunnel formation. As the tunnels develop and connect neighboring cells, a path opens for the virus to invade new cells.”
The study also found that other viruses such as HIV, herpes, influenza A, and SARS-CoV-2 can also create similar tunnels in infected cells to spread to uninfected ones. However, this is the first time tunnelling has been observed in placental cells during Zika infection.
Published in Nature Communications, the research shows that these tunnels not only transport viral particles but also RNA, proteins, and mitochondria—the cell’s energy source—from infected to healthy cells. The transfer of mitochondria may help infected cells survive longer by providing energy, potentially aiding the virus in evading the placenta’s antiviral defenses.
These findings offer important insights that could lead to the development of targeted therapies to disrupt this stealthy transmission mechanism.
(Photo courtesy: IANS)
