Semliki Forest virus strongly reduces mosquito host defence signaling
Date
01/12/2008Author
Fragkoudis, R
Siu, RW
Chi, Y
Barry, G
Attarzadeh-Yazdi, G
Nash, AA
Kohl, A
Fazakerley, JK
Merits, A
Metadata
Abstract
The Alphavirus genus within the Togaviridae family
contains several important mosquito-borne arboviruses.
Other than the antiviral activity of RNAi, relatively little
is known about alphavirus interactions with insect cell
defences. Here we show that Semliki Forest virus
(SFV) infection of Aedes albopictus-derived
U4.4 mosquito cells reduces cellular gene expression.
Activation prior to SFV infection of pathways involving
STAT/IMD, but not Toll signaling reduced subsequent
virus gene expression and RNA levels. These pathways
are therefore not only able to mediate protective
responses against bacteria but also arboviruses.
However, SFV infection of mosquito cells did not result
in activation of any of these pathways and suppressed
their subsequent activation by other stimuli.