In vivo characterization of the novel ebolavirus Bombali virus suggests a low pathogenic potential for humans

Ebolaviruses cause outbreaks of haemorrhagic fever in Central and West Africa. Some members of this genus such as Ebola virus (EBOV) are highly pathogenic, with case fatality rates of up to 90%, whereas others such as Reston virus (RESTV) are apathogenic for humans. Bombali virus (BOMV) is a novel e...

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Main Authors: B. S. Bodmer, A. Breithaupt, M. Heung, J. E. Brunetti, C. Henkel, J. Müller-Guhl, E. Rodríguez, L. Wendt, S. L. Winter, M. Vallbracht, A. Müller, S. Römer, P. Chlanda, C. Muñoz-Fontela, T. Hoenen, B. Escudero-Pérez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2023-12-01
Series:Emerging Microbes and Infections
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2022.2164216
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author B. S. Bodmer
A. Breithaupt
M. Heung
J. E. Brunetti
C. Henkel
J. Müller-Guhl
E. Rodríguez
L. Wendt
S. L. Winter
M. Vallbracht
A. Müller
S. Römer
P. Chlanda
C. Muñoz-Fontela
T. Hoenen
B. Escudero-Pérez
author_facet B. S. Bodmer
A. Breithaupt
M. Heung
J. E. Brunetti
C. Henkel
J. Müller-Guhl
E. Rodríguez
L. Wendt
S. L. Winter
M. Vallbracht
A. Müller
S. Römer
P. Chlanda
C. Muñoz-Fontela
T. Hoenen
B. Escudero-Pérez
author_sort B. S. Bodmer
collection DOAJ
description Ebolaviruses cause outbreaks of haemorrhagic fever in Central and West Africa. Some members of this genus such as Ebola virus (EBOV) are highly pathogenic, with case fatality rates of up to 90%, whereas others such as Reston virus (RESTV) are apathogenic for humans. Bombali virus (BOMV) is a novel ebolavirus for which complete genome sequences were recently found in free-tailed bats, although no infectious virus could be isolated. Its pathogenic potential for humans is unknown. To address this question, we first determined whether proteins encoded by the available BOMV sequence found in Chaerephon pumilus were functional in in vitro assays. The correction of an apparent sequencing error in the glycoprotein based on these data then allowed us to generate infectious BOMV using reverse genetics and characterize its infection of human cells. Furthermore, we used HLA-A2-transgenic, NOD-scid-IL-2γ receptor-knockout (NSG-A2) mice reconstituted with human haematopoiesis as a model to evaluate the pathogenicity of BOMV in vivo in a human-like immune environment. These data demonstrate that not only does BOMV show a slower growth rate than EBOV in vitro, but it also shows low pathogenicity in humanized mice, comparable to previous studies using RESTV. Taken together, these findings suggest a low pathogenic potential of BOMV for humans.
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spelling doaj-art-3aec4a53449d40ce9174e23c20a843a62025-08-20T03:52:57ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512023-12-0112110.1080/22221751.2022.2164216In vivo characterization of the novel ebolavirus Bombali virus suggests a low pathogenic potential for humansB. S. Bodmer0A. Breithaupt1M. Heung2J. E. Brunetti3C. Henkel4J. Müller-Guhl5E. Rodríguez6L. Wendt7S. L. Winter8M. Vallbracht9A. Müller10S. Römer11P. Chlanda12C. Muñoz-Fontela13T. Hoenen14B. Escudero-Pérez15Institute for Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald – Insel Riems, GermanyDepartment of Experimental Animal Facilities and Biorisk Management, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald – Insel Riems, GermanyBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, GermanyBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, GermanyBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, GermanyBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, GermanyBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, GermanyInstitute for Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald – Insel Riems, GermanySchaller Research Groups, Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, GermanySchaller Research Groups, Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, GermanyInstitute for Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald – Insel Riems, GermanyInstitute for Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald – Insel Riems, GermanySchaller Research Groups, Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, GermanyBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, GermanyInstitute for Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald – Insel Riems, GermanyBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, GermanyEbolaviruses cause outbreaks of haemorrhagic fever in Central and West Africa. Some members of this genus such as Ebola virus (EBOV) are highly pathogenic, with case fatality rates of up to 90%, whereas others such as Reston virus (RESTV) are apathogenic for humans. Bombali virus (BOMV) is a novel ebolavirus for which complete genome sequences were recently found in free-tailed bats, although no infectious virus could be isolated. Its pathogenic potential for humans is unknown. To address this question, we first determined whether proteins encoded by the available BOMV sequence found in Chaerephon pumilus were functional in in vitro assays. The correction of an apparent sequencing error in the glycoprotein based on these data then allowed us to generate infectious BOMV using reverse genetics and characterize its infection of human cells. Furthermore, we used HLA-A2-transgenic, NOD-scid-IL-2γ receptor-knockout (NSG-A2) mice reconstituted with human haematopoiesis as a model to evaluate the pathogenicity of BOMV in vivo in a human-like immune environment. These data demonstrate that not only does BOMV show a slower growth rate than EBOV in vitro, but it also shows low pathogenicity in humanized mice, comparable to previous studies using RESTV. Taken together, these findings suggest a low pathogenic potential of BOMV for humans.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2022.2164216Bombali virusebolavirusfilovirusvirulencepathogenic potentialreverse genetics
spellingShingle B. S. Bodmer
A. Breithaupt
M. Heung
J. E. Brunetti
C. Henkel
J. Müller-Guhl
E. Rodríguez
L. Wendt
S. L. Winter
M. Vallbracht
A. Müller
S. Römer
P. Chlanda
C. Muñoz-Fontela
T. Hoenen
B. Escudero-Pérez
In vivo characterization of the novel ebolavirus Bombali virus suggests a low pathogenic potential for humans
Emerging Microbes and Infections
Bombali virus
ebolavirus
filovirus
virulence
pathogenic potential
reverse genetics
title In vivo characterization of the novel ebolavirus Bombali virus suggests a low pathogenic potential for humans
title_full In vivo characterization of the novel ebolavirus Bombali virus suggests a low pathogenic potential for humans
title_fullStr In vivo characterization of the novel ebolavirus Bombali virus suggests a low pathogenic potential for humans
title_full_unstemmed In vivo characterization of the novel ebolavirus Bombali virus suggests a low pathogenic potential for humans
title_short In vivo characterization of the novel ebolavirus Bombali virus suggests a low pathogenic potential for humans
title_sort in vivo characterization of the novel ebolavirus bombali virus suggests a low pathogenic potential for humans
topic Bombali virus
ebolavirus
filovirus
virulence
pathogenic potential
reverse genetics
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2022.2164216
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