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This research study explores how human macrophages respond to infection with Marburg virus, focusing on changes in gene expression and protein production. The study found that the virus induced shifts in transcription, including increased expression of chemokines and interferons. Additionally, the response varied among individuals, with some genes being upregulated while others were downregulated. These findings offer insights into the immune response to Marburg virus and could help in developing antiviral strategies.
Marburg virus (MARV) is a highly pathogenic filovirus and a causative agent of sporadic zoonotic viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks with high case fatality rates. In humans, filoviruses like MARV and Zaire Ebola virus (EBOV) target, among others, innate immune cells like dendritic cells and macrophages (MΦs). Filovirus-infected dendritic cells display impaired maturation and antigen presentation, while MΦs become hyper-activated and secrete proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Our current understanding of human macrophage responses to MARV remains limited. Here, we used human monocyte-derived macrophages (moMΦs) to address how their phenotype, transcriptional profile, and protein expression change upon an in vitro infection with a bat isolate of MARV. Confirming its tropism for macrophages, we show that MARV induces notable shifts in their transcription distinct from responses induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), marked by upregulated gene expression of several chemokines, type I interferons, and IFN-stimulated genes. MARV infection also elicited pronounced inter-individually different transcriptional programs in moMΦs, the induction of Wnt signaling-associated genes, and the downregulation of multiple biological processes and molecular pathways.
Marburg virus (MARV) is a highly pathogenic zoonotic filovirus and an etiologic agent of sporadic outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fever with high case fatality rates1,<a data-track="click" data-track-action="reference anchor" data-track-label="link" data-test="citation-ref"