Poster #090
ZIKV and The Proliferation of Progenitor Cells In The Developing Brain
Mentors: Lilian Gomes de Oliveira, PhD (Postdoc Mentor), Arnold R Kriegstein MD, PhD (PI)
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy affects overall progenitor cell proliferation in the developing brain, something linked to various neurological conditions. However, the specific effects of ZIKV infection on the development of various progenitor cell types in the developing brain, remain unclear. Our project aims to fill this gap by identifying the impact of ZIKV infection in radial glia cells (RGs) and intermediate progenitors’ (IPCs). To identify these cells in infected and uninfected human developing brain tissues we performed immunofluorescence technique. By adding primary antibodies targeting TFAP2C, TBR2, and Ki67 proteins we were able to identify proliferating IPCs and RGs. Our analysis demonstrated a reduction in IPCs and an increase in RGs proliferation. In conclusion, we demonstrated that ZIKV differentially affects progenitor cells during brain development, a finding that may pave the way for targeted therapies designed for each specific progenitor cell type.