Sartorisu-Sowmya eBook - 9

DECIPHERING THE IMMUNE RESPONSE TO VIRAL INFECTION

This can inform research activities such as epitope mapping
of viral antigens, the development of neutralizing antibodies,
identification of biomarkers and therapeutic targets, serology
testing, and ultimately, the development of new vaccines.
Live-cell imaging and analysis provides a unique, dynamic
view into the inner-workings of the viral life cycle and the
interaction of the virus with host's immune system, providing
key information of cellular health, function, morphology and
activities such as proliferation, cell death, and cell killing and
NETosis. Automated image collection can be performed in vitro
using co-cultures grown on microplates within a lab incubator.
This combination of non-invasive automated image analysis
9 | GENengnews.com

within a stable environment comes with the added benefit of
reduced operator exposure to dangerous pathogens.
Live cell imaging and analysis has provided new insights into
viral infection that have therapeutic implications. Kelly et al.
(2019) studied the cell-to-cell spread of Measles Virus (MeV)
using a recombinant MeV that expressed a fluorescent protein
as a transcription unit. Incucyte® live-cell imaging and analysis
was used to quantitate viral replication, syncytia formation,
and expansion. The study revealed that protein induced by
interferon, bone marrow stromal antigen 2 (BST2), inhibited
cell fusion and cell-cell spread. In an Oxford study by Xiao et
al. (2018), this platform captured viral plaque morphology of
a "toned-down" version of Ebola virus, crafted by combining
influenza virus pseudotyped with a glycoprotein of Ebola.
This Ebola surrogate could be safely handled in BSL1/BSL2
laboratories, enabling the screening of 1280 small molecules for
their ability to inhibit viral entry. Rothan et al. (2019) studied the
use of host cell components as a therapeutic target in dengue
virus (DENV) and Zika virus (ZIKV) infection and replication.
Live-cell imaging was used to quantitate proliferation of ZIKAinfected cells treated with Bardoxolne methyl (CDDO-me); an
inhibitor of the Hrd1 ubiquitin ligase-mediated ERAD pathway.
Herod et al. (2019) used Incucyte to detect GFP reporter gene
expression to study the effects of the anti-influenza drug Arbidol
(ARB) against the foot-and-mouth disease (FMDV) and equine

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