Temperature as a potential regulator for Ebola virus replication in primary cells from Mops condylurus

Abstract

Introduction:

For more than 40 years, outbreaks of ebolavirus disease have been documented, but the natural reservoir(s) of ebolaviruses remain unknown. However, recent studies provide evidence that the Angolan free-tailed bat (Mops condylurus), an insectivorous bat belonging to the family Molossidae, is a likely ebolavirus reservoir. Being a heterothermic species, M. condylurus bats are highly tolerant to variations in ambient temperatures, and therefore are capable of living under a broad range of climatic and environmental conditions by using adaptive thermoregulation. Body core temperatures as low as 12.0°C have been measured during winter, while increased body temperatures were observed in their hot roosts or during flight, reaching temperatures typical of fever in most other mammalian species.

Methods:

Here, we investigated the impact of temperature fluctuations between 27°C and 42°C on Ebola virus (EBOV) survival and replication kinetics in cells from M. condylurus using qRT-PCR.

Results:

We found that primary cells derived from M. condylurus, similar to the bats in their natural environment, were highly tolerant to temperature variations. EBOV replication was temperature-dependent, showing a strong reduction of replication efficiency at low temperature.

Discussion:

We therefore conclude, that heterothermy might be involved in balancing the level of EBOV replication and thereby be a key factor for tolerating EBOV infections in vivo.