Carola Otth
University Austral of Chile, Chile
Biography
My research interest is mainly focused on the study of the possible neurodegenerative effects, neuronal dysfunctions and innate immune activation on neurons and astrocytes infected with the neurotropic virus as HSV-1. Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is associated with a high mortality rate and significant neurological, neuropsychological, and neurobehavioral sequelae, which afflict patients for life. The possibility that HSV-1 reactivates in CNS neurons causing chronic progressive damage at cellular level and altering the neuronal functionality has not yet been investigated. In fact, our group was the first to demonstrate that in vitro HSV-1 neuronal infection is associated with several neurodegenerative features, such as tau hyperphosphorylation and cleavage, modifications in the microtubular dynamics and damage in axonal and dendritic processes. In this moment we are focused to analyze virus-cell relationships, especially neuronal signaling and synaptic-plasticity function modify by HSV-1 infection. (Chilean grants: Fundación Andes C14060/05; Fondecyt: 11080067, 1120464, 1150574).
Abstract
Abstract : HSV-1 Herpes virus targets ERAD machinery to assure its replication