Enterovirus infection and its relationship with neurodegenerative diseases

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are increasingly common, especially in populations with higher life expectancies. They are associated mainly with protein metabolism and structure changes, leading to neuronal cell death. Viral infections affect these cellular processes and may be involved in the etiology of several neurological illnesses, particularly NDs. Enteroviruses (EVs) frequently infect the central nervous system (CNS), causing neurological disease. Inflammation, disruption of the host autophagy machinery, and deregulation and accumulation/misfolding of proteins are the main alterations observed after infection by an EV. In this perspective, we discuss the most recent findings on the subject, examining the possible role of EVs in the development of NDs, and shedding light on the putative role played by these viruses in developing NDs.

Neurotropic virus infection and neurodegenerative diseases: Potential roles of autophagy pathway

“…Regarding the association of the autophagy process mediated by viral infection with NDs, numerous studies have indicated that viruses could hinder the formation of autophagosomes or the fusion of autophagosomes and autolysosomes, thereby leading to protein misfolding, aggregation, and subsequent dissemination. 43 These findings indicate that autophagy may serve as a novel mechanism linking viral infection to NDs.…”

Global landscape of coxsackieviruses in human health

“…Additionally, emerging evidence indicates that alterations (disruption of the host autophagy machinery, deregulation and accumulation/misfolding of proteins) induced by coxsackieviral infection in neural/neuronal cells as well as neuroinflammation may play an important role in the development of neurodegenerative disorders (NDs), including Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Parkinson's disease (PD) ( Jmii et al, 2021 ; Sousa Junior and Vieira, 2023 ). In fact, anti-coxsackievirus antibodies have been detected in brain sections of PD patients ( Dourmashkin et al, 2018 ).…”

“…Indeed, CVs have been associated with a broad spectrum of clinical presentations such as hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), herpangina, conjunctivitis, upper and lower respiratory disease, myocarditis, pancreatitis, type 1 diabetes (T1DM), pleurodynia, and severe syndromes of the central nervous system (CNS), including encephalitis, aseptic meningitis, acute flaccid paralysis, and meningoencephalitis ( Jmii et al, 2021 ; Tapparel et al, 2013 ). Recent findings have also discussed the possible role of CVs in the development of neurodegenerative disorders as well as the impact of CV infection on neurodevelopment and cognition ( Sousa Junior and Vieira, 2023 ; Leblanc and Vorberg, 2022 ; Liang et al, 2021 ; Lin et al, 2019 ). Table 1 also illustrates the increased neurotropism of coxsackieviruses, as all types of CV have previously been linked to various CNS illnesses.…”