An In Vitro Assay for Screening Interferons as Potent Inhibitors of Zika Virus Growth

In This Article

Abstract

Source: Contreras, D. et al., Zika Virus Infectious Cell Culture System and the In Vitro Prophylactic Effect of Interferons. J. Vis. Exp. (2016)

The video demonstrates an in vitro assay for screening interferons with antiviral activity against the Zika virus, a human pathogen. Within the host cell, the Zika virus undergoes multiplication upon internalization, infecting neighboring cells and creating distinct zones or viral plaques. Type I interferon, acting as an antiviral agent, hinders virus multiplication, thereby preventing the formation of viral plaques in the host cell monolayer.

Protocol

1. Screening Cytokine Library against Zika Virus Infection

Seed naive Vero cells at 1 x 10⁵ cells per well using a 12-well plate. Once the cells are attached (6 hr post-seeding), add each cytokine at
indicated concentrations in biological duplicates (2 ml volume/well). Include vehicle (PBS) alone control.
At 12 hr post-treatment, perform Zika viral infection (MOI of 0.1 in 400 μl per well). Include negative control wells without infection (mock).
At 4 hr post-infection, replace the viral inoculum with cytokine-treated media (2 ml). Incubate the cells at 37 °C for additional 44 hr.
A....

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Results

ZIKV growth inhibition by cytokines; bar graph and microscopy images showing infection results.
Figure 1: Interferons demonstrate potent anti-Zika viral activity. (A) Graph showing modulation of Zika viral growth by various cytokines compared to that of vehicle control. Mean values and standard deviation are shown in t.......