The study of TBE-virus way of infecting brains has combined different types of image analysis where whole mouse brains are imaged (follow the blue arrow) down to the cellular and subcellular level at the nanometre scale. This combined with gene analysis from individual cells allowed the researchers to find the mechanistic reasons why different cells became infected.
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"Anna Överby, the research group leader at Umeå University, emphasizes that gaining deeper insights into the virus's behavior in the brain and its impact on the immune system is a vital milestone in the advancement of efficacious treatments and preventive measures for this challenging illness."
The Umeå scientists have delineated the process by which the TBE virus invades the brain, leading to encephalitis. Using a novel technique, they were able to spatially pinpoint the viral presence in mice brains, identifying the specific regions infected by TBE virus. This innovative method integrates image analyses with gene expression studies in diverse cell types, culminating in a visual representation akin to a "road map" of the virus's trajectory within the brain.
The variance in the virus's distribution within the brains of mice with and without an innate immune response was found to be substantial. The virus displayed distinct patterns of infection in different brain regions, contingent upon the mouse's innate immune system. Upon close examination of the cells in the infected brain areas, the researchers observed that the immune response not only influenced the virus's spread, but also altered the types of cells that were infected in the affected brain regions.
Upon closer examination, the researchers observed that when the immune system in the brain remained inactive, the virus targeted the microglia, the brain's immune cells, which typically aid in preventing and clearing infections. Conversely, in mice where the immune system in the brain was activated, the virus predominantly infected nerve cells. While it is established that the innate immune system plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the brain from TBE virus-induced damage, the precise location and types of cells that are infected have remained unclear.
"Adding this crucial piece to the puzzle underscores the significance of the immune system in TBE infection," says Anna Överby. "Our innovative imaging techniques, coupled with gene expression analysis at the cellular level, provide fresh avenues to investigate brain-invading viruses."
"Placing this pivotal puzzle piece is crucial. The findings underscore the immune system's significance in TBE infection. Furthermore, our novel imaging methods, in conjunction with gene expression analysis at the cellular level, unveil fresh prospects to study brain-invading viruses," remarks Anna Överby.
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