Comparison of Chikungunya and Mayaro infections kinetics in different cell lines

• Grant number: 20/02607-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2020
• End date: September 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Paolo Marinho de Andrade Zanotto
• Grantee: Raphael Balducci Borges
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Arboviruses are arthropod-borne viruses and form a non-taxonomic group designated for some RNA viruses that are cyclically maintained in nature by replicating in susceptible vertebrate hosts and hematophagous arthropods. They are responsible for emerging and reemerging infectious diseases in different areas, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. The Togaviridae family belongs to the Baltimore classification group IV, they are viruses with a positive sense single stranded RNA genome, and are composed of two genera: Alphavirus and Rubivirus. Among old-world Alphaviruses, Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Mayaro virus (MAYV) have been linked to several outbreaks in South America. Alphaviruses have a small size between 60 and 70 nm in diameter and their genomes consist of approximately 12 kb, organized in two open reading frames. In recent years, CHIKV has a long history of urbanization through adaptations to anthropogenic mosquitoes. From already recorded recombination events, MAYV could obtain point mutations that would improve fitness, host tropism, and virulence. In 2017, 185,593 probable cases of Chikungunya fever were recorded and 189 deaths confirmed. Thus, this work aims to understand the infection pattern of Mayaro and Chikungunya viruses in different cell lines (insect and mammal). Also, identify, quantify and compare the expression of these viruses in these strains. We hope that the results obtained contribute to the use of these cell lines in the research and diagnosis of these arboviruses and serve as material for future research.