Interactions of human microglia cells with Japanese encephalitis virus.

BACKGROUND: Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a neurotropic flavivirus causing mortality and morbidity in humans. Severe Japanese encephalitis cases display strong inflammatory responses in the central nervous system and an accumulation of viral particles in specific brain regions. Microglia cells are the unique brain-resident immune cell population with potent migratory functions and have been proposed to act as a viral reservoir for JEV. Animal models suggest that the targeting of microglia by JEV is partially responsible for inflammatory reactions in the brain. Nevertheless, the interactions between human microglia and JEV are poorly documented. METHODS: Using human primary microglia and a new model of human blood monocyte-derived microglia, the present study explores the interaction between human microglia and JEV as well as the role of these cells in viral transmission to susceptible cells. To achieve this work, vaccine-containing inactivated JEV and two live JEV strains were applied on human microglia. RESULTS: Live JEV was non-cytopathogenic to human microglia but increased levels of CCL2, CXCL9 and CXCL10 in such cultures. Furthermore, human microglia up-regulated the expression of the fraktalkine receptor CX3CR1 upon exposure to both JEV vaccine and live JEV. Although JEV vaccine enhanced MHC class II on all microglia, live JEV enhanced MHC class II mainly on CX3CR1+ microglia cells. Importantly, human microglia supported JEV replication, but infectivity was only transmitted to neighbouring cells in a contact-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that human microglia may be a source of neuronal infection and sustain JEV brain pathogenesis.

Porcine B-cell activating factor promotes anti-FMDV antibodies in vitro but not in vivo after DNA vaccination of pigs.

'B-cell activating factor belonging to the TNF family' (BAFF) represents a cytokine produced by antigen presenting cells promoting B-cell maturation, activation and immunoglobulin class switching. In the present study, we demonstrate expression of BAFF on cultured monocyte-derived dendritic cells, which is further enhanced by interferon-alpha or interferon-gamma treatment. From these cells, porcine BAFF was cloned and the recombinant protein was expressed in mammalian cells with and without a FLAG tag at the carboxyl terminus. Only the protein without the FLAG tag was bioactive in vitro, and promoted B-cell survival and the differentiation of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV)-specific memory B cells into antibody producing cells. Based on this result it was tested whether BAFF can enhance FMDV antibody responses in the context of a DNA vaccination. To this end, pigs were immunised with the anti-FMDV DNA vaccine plasmid pcDNA3.1/P1-2A3C3D and a pCI plasmid expressing porcine BAFF. Using a needle-free transdermal application method, also referred to as 'jet injection', pigs were vaccinated three times and their humoral response quantified by ELISA and a virus neutralisation test. After the third vaccination, three out of six animals vaccinated with the pcDNA3.1/P1-2A3C3D alone but none of the animals that also received the BAFF expressing plasmid had seroconverted. These data suggest that BAFF is not appropriate as a genetic adjuvant when applied as a simple co-injection with the antigen-encoding plasmid.