AUTHOR=Vasconcellos Anna Fernanda , Melo Reynaldo Magalhães , Mandacaru Samuel Coelho , de Oliveira Lucas Silva , de Oliveira Athos Silva , Moraes Emily Caroline dos Santos , Trugilho Monique Ramos de Oliveira , Ricart Carlos André Ornelas , Báo Sônia Nair , Resende Renato Oliveira , Charneau Sébastien 

TITLE=Aedes aegypti Aag-2 Cell Proteome Modulation in Response to Chikungunya Virus Infection

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.920425

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2022.920425

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a single-stranded positive RNA virus that belongs to the genus <italic>Alphavirus</italic> and is transmitted to humans by infected <italic>Aedes aegypti</italic> and <italic>Aedes albopictus</italic> bites. In humans, CHIKV usually causes painful symptoms during acute and chronic stages of infection. Conversely, virus–vector interaction does not disturb the mosquito’s fitness, allowing a persistent infection. Herein, we studied CHIKV infection of <italic>Ae. aegypti</italic> Aag-2 cells (multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1) for 48 h through label-free quantitative proteomic analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM images showed a high load of intracellular viral cargo at 48 h postinfection (hpi), as well as an unusual elongated mitochondria morphology that might indicate a mitochondrial imbalance. Proteome analysis revealed 196 regulated protein groups upon infection, which are related to protein synthesis, energy metabolism, signaling pathways, and apoptosis. These Aag-2 proteins regulated during CHIKV infection might have roles in antiviral and/or proviral mechanisms and the balance between viral propagation and the survival of host cells, possibly leading to the persistent infection.</p>