Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

How to straighten out that which bends up.

Jennifer A Philips1

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.

Science Translational Medicine
|March 31, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Chikungunya virus uses a host enzyme called granzyme A to cause joint inflammation during infection. This finding reveals a new target for controlling Chikungunya virus symptoms.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

How <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> Subverts Innate and Adaptive Immunity and Their Crosstalk: Implications for Vaccine Design.

Vaccines·2026
Same author

Lysosomal cholesterol overload impairs the innate-adaptive immune axis in tuberculosis granulomas.

Nature microbiology·2026
Same author

Macrophage-T cell interactions promote SLAMF1 expression for enhanced TB defense.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

The <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> lipid, PDIM, inhibits the NADPH oxidase and autophagy.

Autophagy·2024
Same author

Novel coenzyme Q6 genetic variant increases susceptibility to pneumococcal disease.

Nature immunology·2024
Same author

Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulence lipid PDIM inhibits autophagy in mice.

Nature microbiology·2024

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Immunology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arbovirus that causes debilitating arthritis.
  • The mechanisms underlying CHIKV-induced joint inflammation are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of host proteases in CHIKV-induced joint inflammation.
  • To identify specific host factors essential for CHIKV pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Used knockout mice lacking granzyme A.
  • Inoculated mice with CHIKV.
  • Assessed joint swelling, viral load, and inflammatory markers.

Main Results:

  • Granzyme A knockout mice exhibited significantly reduced joint inflammation and swelling after CHIKV infection.
  • Viral replication was not affected by the absence of granzyme A.
  • Inflammatory cytokine levels were lower in granzyme A knockout mice.

Conclusions:

  • Host granzyme A is a critical mediator of joint inflammation in Chikungunya virus infection.
  • Targeting granzyme A may represent a therapeutic strategy to alleviate CHIKV-induced arthritis.

Related Experiment Videos