title: Zika virus infection damages the testes in mice.
abstract: Infection of pregnant women with Zika virus (ZIKV) can cause congenital malformations including microcephaly, which has focused global attention on this emerging pathogen. In addition to transmission by mosquitoes, ZIKV can be detected in the seminal fluid of affected males for extended periods of time and transmitted sexually. Here, using a mouse-adapted African ZIKV strain (Dakar 41519), we evaluated the consequences of infection in the male reproductive tract of mice. We observed persistence of ZIKV, but not the closely related dengue virus (DENV), in the testis and epididymis of male mice, and this was associated with tissue injury that caused diminished testosterone and inhibin B levels and oligospermia. ZIKV preferentially infected spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes and Sertoli cells in the testis, resulting in cell death and destruction of the seminiferous tubules. Less damage was caused by a contemporary Asian ZIKV strain (H/PF/2013), in part because this virus replicates less efficiently in mice. The extent to which these observations in mice translate to humans remains unclear, but longitudinal studies of sperm function and viability in ZIKV-infected humans seem warranted.
authors: Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Govero
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors: Prabagaran
authors: P
authors: Esakky
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors: Suzanne M
authors: SM
authors: Scheaffer
authors: Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors: Estefania
authors: E
authors: Fernandez
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Drury
authors: Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors: Derek J
authors: DJ
authors: Platt
authors: Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors: Matthew J
authors: MJ
authors: Gorman
authors: Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors: Justin M
authors: JM
authors: Richner
authors: Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors: Elizabeth A
authors: EA
authors: Caine
authors: Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors: Vanessa
authors: V
authors: Salazar
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.|Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors: Kelle H
authors: KH
authors: Moley
authors: Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.|Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.|Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.|The Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors: Michael S
authors: MS
authors: Diamond
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000502:physiology; D004822:Epididymis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000821:virology; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000821:virology; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000821:virology; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D000071244:Zika Virus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D000071243:Zika Virus Infection / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: C422364:inhibin B; D013739:Testosterone; D007265:Inhibins