Transcriptome Analysis of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Exposed to Lassa Virus and to the Reassortant ML29, a Vaccine Candidate

The virulent Lassa fever virus (LASV) and the non-pathogenic Mopeia virus (MOPV) infect rodents and incidentally people in West Africa. The mechanism of LASV damage in human beings is unclear. A live-attenuated reassortant of MOPV and LASV protects rodents and primates from Lassa fever disease. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy human subjects were expose to either LASV or ML29 in order to identify early cellular responses that could be attributed to the difference in virulence between both viruses. Differential expression of interferon-related genes as well as coagulation-related genes could lead to an explanation for Lassa fever pathogenesis and lead to protective treatments for Lassa fever disease.

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Zapata JC, Carrion R Jr, Patterson JL, Crasta O, Zhang Y, Mani S, Jett M, Poonia B, Djavani M, White DM, Lukashevich IS, Salvato MS