# Investigation of Zika virus-induced retinopathy using developing mouse retina

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · 2020 · $197,500

## Abstract

Project title: Study Zika virus-induced retinopathy using developing mouse retina
SUMMARY
The recent outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas has caused significant public health concern. ZIKV
infection has been linked to neurological autoimmune disorder Guillain-Barré Syndrome in adults and
microcephaly in fetuses and infants born to mothers infected with ZIKV during pregnancy. In addition to
neuronal damage in the brain, infants with ZIKV congenital infection are associated with high rate of ocular
abnormalities in which the most common lesions are retinal lesions, chorioretinal atrophy and optic nerve
abnormalities. However, mechanisms of ZIKV-induced retinal abnormalities are completely unknown and no
therapeutic intervention is available to treat or minimize the degree of vision loss in the patients. Mouse retinal
development during the first 3 weeks after birth is very similar to the process of third-trimester human retinal
development; and ex vivo retinal explant from neonatal mice develops very similarly to the retina in vivo and
generates all different retinal cell types in the appropriate layers. Taking these advantages, we will test the
hypothesis that the developing retina is a platform to study ZIKV-induced retinal abnormalities and test
compounds for the treatment of disease. This application will, for the first time, use postnatally developing
mouse retina as a platform to develop and characterize ZIKV-induced retinopathy in vivo and ex vivo. It will
compare the difference of three ZIKV strains and evaluate the efficacy of antiviral, anti-inflammatory or anti-
apoptotic agents. The research is expected to significantly advance the understanding of ZIKV-induced
retinopathy and facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies. This proposal directly addresses the
following areas of high priority to study “Zika Virus (ZIKV) Complications”: 1) understand the mechanisms by
which ZIKV affects the developing nervous system and other organ systems; 2) characterize the association of
ZIKV infection with ocular phenotypes; 3) identify effective treatments for exposed infants with and without
microcephaly as they develop into childhood.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9850574
- **Project number:** 5R21EY029112-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Tian Wang
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $197,500
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-02-01 → 2022-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9850574

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9850574, Investigation of Zika virus-induced retinopathy using developing mouse retina (5R21EY029112-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9850574. Licensed CC0.

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