Use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and cerebral organoids in modeling the congenital infection and neuropathogenesis induced by Zika virus

Abstract

Infection with Zika virus (ZIKV) was recently demonstrated to be associated with damage to the central nervous system, especially microcephaly and the Guillain-Barré syndrome. This finding had alarmed public health agencies and mobilized institutions around the world to search for more information about the virus, its effects, pathophysiological mechanisms, and potential immunizations and treatments. Given the increasing interest in using iPSCs and cerebral organoids to model the congenital infection and neuropathogenesis induced by ZIKV, the aim of this review was to present an up-to-date summary of the publications on the association of ZIKV with microcephaly, using iPSCs and organoids. According to our review, the number of studies has decreased concomitantly with a decrease in the number of cases. The presence of subclinical lesions at birth, which may eventually present cognitive or behavioral problems in the future, suggests that persistent research efforts on the virus should be undertaken by the global health community till the threat is completely wiped out.

Keywords: Zika virus; iPSCs; microcephaly; organoids; pregnancy.