How immune cells in the fetal brain help Zika cause injury
Role of microglia in neural infection
This project looks at whether a protein called Peli1 in brain immune cells (microglia) helps Zika virus spread into fetal brains and harm developing babies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Med Br Galveston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Galveston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11247462 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are worried about Zika in pregnancy, this work aims to understand how yolk-sac derived microglia and a protein called Peli1 may carry Zika into the developing brain. Researchers will use mouse models and lab-grown human neural and immune cells to follow how the virus moves and changes cell behavior. They will manipulate Peli1 and measure molecular, cellular, and brain-structure effects to see how microglia influence neural stem cells and brain development after infection. The goal is to connect what happens in cells and animals to processes that could underlie congenital Zika syndrome in humans.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant people at risk of Zika exposure and families affected by congenital Zika syndrome are the most relevant groups for future clinical follow-up or sample-donation efforts related to this work.
Not a fit: People whose health conditions are unrelated to Zika infection or who are not pregnant are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new molecular targets to prevent or reduce Zika-related fetal brain injury.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal and cell-based studies have implicated microglia and Peli1 in Zika brain infection, but this project combines animal models and human cell systems in a new integrated way.
Where this research is happening
Galveston, United States
- University of Texas Med Br Galveston — Galveston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wu, Ping — University of Texas Med Br Galveston
- Study coordinator: Wu, Ping
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.