Vertical transmission of Zika virus targeting the radial glial cells affects cortex development of offspring mice

The recent Zika virus （ZIKV） epidemic in Latin America coincided with a marked increase in microcephaly in newborns. However, the causal link between maternal ZIKV infection and malformation of the fetal brain has not been firmly established. Here we show a vertical transmission of ZIKV in mice and a marked effect on fetal brain development. We found that intraperitoneal （i.p.） injection of a contemporary ZIKV strain in pregnant mice led to the infection of radial gila cells （RGs） of dorsal ventricular zone of the fetuses, the primary neural progenitors responsi- ble for cortex development, and caused a marked reduction of these cortex founder cells in the fetuses. Interestingly, the infected fetal mice exhibited a reduced cavity of lateral ventricles and a discernable decrease in surface areas of the cortex. This study thus supports l;he conclusion that vertically transmitted ZIKV affects fetal brain development and provides a valuable animal model for the evaluation of potential therapeutic or preventative strategies.