Restricted varicella-zoster virus transcription in human trigeminal ganglia obtained soon after death

Abstract

We analyzed the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) transcriptome in 43 latently infected human trigeminal ganglia (TG) with postmortem intervals (PMIs) ranging from 3.7 to 24 h. Multiplex reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) revealed no VZV transcripts with a PMI of <9 h. Real-time PCR indicated a significant increase (P = 0.02) in VZV ORF63 transcript levels but not the virus DNA burden with longer PMI. Overall, both the breadth of the VZV transcriptome and the VZV ORF63 transcript levels in human cadaver TG increased with longer PMI.

Fig 1

VZV ORF63 transcript levels, but not VZV DNA load, in human trigeminal ganglia (TG) correlate with the postmortem interval (PMI). (A) Correlation between PMI and number of VZV transcripts detected by multiplex RT-PCR; (B) correlation between PMI and abundance of ORF63 transcripts; (C) no correlation between PMI and abundance of neurofilament (NF) transcripts; (D) correlation of the abundance of ORF63 transcripts in paired left and right TG; (E) no correlation between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) transcript levels and PMI; (F) no correlation between VEGF and ORF63 transcript levels; (G) no correlation between ganglionic VZV DNA load and PMI; or (H) abundance of ORF63 transcripts. Statistical analyses were performed using Pearson's correlation test (A to C, E, and F to H) and Wilcoxon matched-pair signed-rank test (D). Panel A and panels E and F contain VZV transcript data and VZV genome load levels, respectively, that in part have been published previously (see Table 2 and reference 16).