Monocytes as suitable carriers for dissemination of dengue viral infection
Eun-Ha Hwang,
Gyeung Haeng Hur,
Bon-Sang Koo,
Hanseul Oh,
Green Kim,
Hoyin Jung,
Seung Ho Baek,
You Jung An,
Jong-Hwan Park,
Jung Joo Hong
Affiliations
Eun-Ha Hwang
National Primate Research Centre, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk, Republic of Korea; Laboratory Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Jeolla, Republic of Korea
Gyeung Haeng Hur
Agency for Defense Development, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Bon-Sang Koo
National Primate Research Centre, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk, Republic of Korea
Hanseul Oh
National Primate Research Centre, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk, Republic of Korea; College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea
Green Kim
National Primate Research Centre, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk, Republic of Korea; Laboratory Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Jeolla, Republic of Korea
Hoyin Jung
National Primate Research Centre, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk, Republic of Korea
Seung Ho Baek
National Primate Research Centre, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk, Republic of Korea
You Jung An
National Primate Research Centre, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk, Republic of Korea
Jong-Hwan Park
Laboratory Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Jeolla, Republic of Korea
Jung Joo Hong
National Primate Research Centre, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk, Republic of Korea; KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Corresponding author.
Dengue viruses (DENVs) exploit monocytes and macrophages for tropism and replication, therefore, establishing a long-term reservoir. However, their roles in dengue pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, using the human monocytic cell line THP-1, human primary monocytes, and non-human primate models, we show that DENV-infected monocytes represent suitable carriers for circulatory viral dissemination. Monocyte-derived macrophages expressing M2 surface markers at the gene level efficiently replicated, while the productivity of monocyte replication was low. However, attachment of DENVs to the cellular surface of monocytes was similar to that of macrophages. Furthermore, after differentiation with type-2 cytokines, DENV-attached monocytes could replicate DENVs. Productive DENV infection was confirmed by intravenous injection of DENVs into nonhuman primate model, in which, DENV attachment to monocytes was positively correlated with viremia. These results provide insight into the role of circulating monocytes in DENV infection, suggesting that monocytes directly assist in DENV dissemination and replication during viremia and could be applied to design antiviral intervention.
