J 2025

Three-dimensional mapping of tick-borne encephalitis virus distribution in the mouse brain using a newly engineered TurboGFP reporter virus

BERÁNKOVÁ, Michaela; Simone LEONI; Jiří HOLOUBEK; Jan HAVIERNIK; Jiří SALÁT et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Three-dimensional mapping of tick-borne encephalitis virus distribution in the mouse brain using a newly engineered TurboGFP reporter virus

Authors

BERÁNKOVÁ, Michaela; Simone LEONI; Jiří HOLOUBEK; Jan HAVIERNIK; Jiří SALÁT; Denis GRANDGIRARD; Stephen L LEIB and Daniel RŮŽEK

Edition

Emerging Microbes and Infections, Taylor and Francis Ltd. 2025, 2222-1751

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Article in a journal

Country of publisher

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Confidentiality degree

is not subject to a state or trade secret

References:

URL

Organization

Přírodovědecká fakulta – Repository – Repository

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2025.2542246

UT WoS

001554371900001

EID Scopus

2-s2.0-105013772609

Keywords in English

TBEV; reporter viruses; neurotropism; organotypic cerebellar slices; light-sheet microscopy; tissue clearing

Links

GA23-07160S, research and development project. LX22NPO5103, research and development project. Czech-BioImaging III, large research infrastructures. ELIXIR CZ III, large research infrastructures.
Changed: 9/9/2025 00:50, RNDr. Daniel Jakubík

Abstract

In the original language

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a neurotropic orthoflavivirus that invades the central nervous system, leading to severe neurological manifestations. In this study, we developed a reporter virus comprising TurboGFP-expressing TBEV (tGFP-TBEV) as a versatile tool for advancing TBEV research. The tGFP-TBEV facilitates quantitative measurement of viral replication, enables precise tracking of individual infected cells, and supports high-throughput screening of potential antiviral compounds and virus-neutralization assays. Furthermore, tGFP-TBEV proved effective as a model for studying TBEV infection in rat organotypic cerebellar slices cultured ex vivo and for visualizing TBEV infection in the mouse brain. Using tissue-clearing protocols and light-sheet fluorescence microscopy, we achieved high-resolution, three-dimensional mapping of the TBEV distribution in the mouse brain. This analysis uncovered distinct patterns of TBEV tropism, with infections concentrated in regions associated with neurogenesis, olfactory processing, and specific neuroanatomical pathways. The ability to visualize infection at both the cellular and whole-organ level provides a new tool for detailed investigations into viral tropism, replication, and interactions with host tissues, paving the way for deeper insights into TBEV biology and the pathogenesis of tick-borne encephalitis.
Displayed: 16/12/2025 16:52