Experimental infection model of Dengue virus and Zika virus in northern Japanese local mosquitoes

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16675
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 49060:Virology-related
• Research Institution: Rakuno Gakuen University
• Principal Investigator: Uchida Leo 酪農学園大学, 獣医学群, 講師 (50756723)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ジカウイルス / 蚊 / 感受性 / 媒介能 / 次世代シークエンス / 変異 / 適合性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to evaluate the susceptibility and vector competence of Aedes japonicus from northern Japan to Zika virus (ZIKV), which causes febrile illness and microcephaly to human. After oral infection of ZIKV, the amplified virus was detected from several parts of the body of Ae. japonicus, and the viral RNA was detected from the saliva of the mosquitoes. The infection rate was lower than two major ZIKV vector, Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti, but the virus titer in the body was almost same level or higher than the two mosquito species. Besides, next generation sequencing targeting on ZIKV genome which derived from the virus-infected mosquitoes revealed that two amino acid mutations accumulate in the viral envelope protein. The two amino acid mutations imply that regulate N-linked glycosylation of envelope protein.

Free Research Field

ウイルス学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ジカウイルスは2015年、南米を中心とした世界的な流行が見られ、近年、日本国内への侵入が危惧される蚊媒介性ウイルスである。本研究では日本に広く分布するヤマトヤブカにおいて、程度は低いながらもウイルスが媒介され得ることを明らかにした。また、本研究で見つかったウイルスの変異は、ウイルスが蚊で増殖する際の適合性に関わる因子と考えられ、今後、蚊媒介性ウイルス関連の研究へ展開が見込まれる。