Researchers identify a key weapon of Zika virus

Scientists at the University of Southern California discovered a key weapon used by the Zika virus to ravage the brains of infected fetuses: proteins. In an article published Thursday in the journal Cell Stem Cell, researchers identified two proteins in Zika potentially responsible for causing microcephaly. Microcephaly is a birth defect in which a child’s head is smaller than the average size. A variety of factors can trigger the condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including malnutrition, environmental agents and other viruses. Although it is associated with brain damage, some children born with the disease never develop cognitive issues. The proteins — called NS4A and NS4B — affect the brain by targeting a critical signaling pathway that controls cell growth and breaks down damaged cells and their elements. Initially, Zika slows cell development and reduces the variety of cells in the brain. Over time, this “rigged” system enables the...