Attenuation of neurovirulence of chikungunya virus by a single amino acid mutation in viral E2 envelope protein.
J Biomed Sci
; 31(1): 8, 2024 Jan 17.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38229040
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has reemerged as a major public health concern, causing chikungunya fever with increasing cases and neurological complications.METHODS:
In the present study, we investigated a low-passage human isolate of the East/ Central/South African (ECSA) lineage of CHIKV strain LK(EH)CH6708, which exhibited a mix of small and large viral plaques. The small and large plaque variants were isolated and designated as CHIKV-SP and CHIKV-BP, respectively. CHIKV-SP and CHIKV-BP were characterized in vitro and in vivo to compare their virus production and virulence. Additionally, whole viral genome analysis and reverse genetics were employed to identify genomic virulence factors.RESULTS:
CHIKV-SP demonstrated lower virus production in mammalian cells and attenuated virulence in a murine model. On the other hand, CHIKV-BP induced higher pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, compromised the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, and led to astrocyte infection in mouse brains. Furthermore, the CHIKV-SP variant had limited transmission potential in Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, likely due to restricted dissemination. Whole viral genome analysis revealed multiple genetic mutations in the CHIKV-SP variant, including a Glycine (G) to Arginine (R) mutation at position 55 in the viral E2 glycoprotein. Reverse genetics experiments confirmed that the E2-G55R mutation alone was sufficient to reduce virus production in vitro and virulence in mice.CONCLUSIONS:
These findings highlight the attenuating effects of the E2-G55R mutation on CHIKV pathogenicity and neurovirulence and emphasize the importance of monitoring this mutation in natural infections.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Vírus Chikungunya
/
Aedes
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Animals
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article