Virological, immunological and pathological findings of transplacentally transmitted bluetongue virus serotype 1 in IFNAR1-blocked mice during early and mid gestation

Transplacental transmission (TPT) of wild-type Indian BTV-1 had never been experimentally proved. This study was first time investigated TPT of Indian BTV-1 (isolated from aborted and stillborn goat fetal spleens). The sequential pathology, virological and immune cell kinetics (CD4(+), CD8(+) T-lymphocytes and NK cells in spleen and PBMCs), and apoptosis in IFNAR1-blocked pregnant mice during early (infected on 1 GD) and mid (infected on 8 GD) gestation have been studied. There was higher rate of TPT during mid stage (71.43%) than early (57.14%) stage. In early stage reduced implantation sites, early embryonic deaths, abortions, and necro-haemorrhagic lesions had observed. Mid stage, congenital defects and neurological lesions in foetuses like haemorrhages, diffuse cerebral edema, necrotizing encephalitis and decreased bone size (Alizarin red staining) were noticed. BTV-1 antigen was first time demonstrable in cells of mesometrium, decidua of embryos, placenta, uterus, ovary, and brain of foetuses by immunohistochemistry and quantified by real-time qRT-PCR. BTV-inoculated mice were seroconverted by 7 and 5 dpi, and reached peak levels by 15 and 9 dpi in early and mid gestation, respectively. CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells were significantly decreased (increased ratio) on 7 dpi but subsequently increased on 15 dpi in early gestation. In mid gestation, increased CD8(+) cells (decreased ratio) were observed. Apoptotic cells in PBMCs and tissues increased during peak viral load. This first time TPT of wild-type Indian BTV-1 deserves to be reported for implementation of control strategies. This model will be very suitable for further research into mechanisms of TPT, overwintering, and vaccination strategies.