Changes in Cellular Metabolism Associated with Metabolic Syndrome Increase the Severity of Neurotropic Viral Infections

Studying how viruses evolve in people with metabolic imbalances is an important and emerging area of research. People with Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) – a condition characterized by serious metabolic issues – tend to have higher death rates, longer hospital stays, and worse outcomes when infected by viruses. This is especially true for viruses that affect the brain, like West Nile Virus (WNV). Currently, over one-third of the U.S. population has MetS, and nearly 40% of people in Kentucky are affected. MetS significantly disrupts cellular metabolism, impacting brain function as well. Despite this, the link between these metabolic issues and how viruses behave in the brain remains largely unexplored. We know that people with MetS have worse outcomes after viral infections, and viruses are known to alter host metabolism. However, there is no direct proof that the metabolic problems of MetS make viral infections more severe. Our goal in this study is to explore how changes in brain metabolism caused by MetS lead to more severe viral infections. We believe that the imbalance caused by MetS increases WNV activity and leads to more severe disease outcomes in the brain. To investigate this, we will use advanced techniques to compare brain metabolism in healthy mice and mice with MetS. Our hope is to identify the specific metabolic changes that lead to increased viral activity and disease severity.