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Updated: Jul 18, 2025
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Zika Virus Infectious Cell Culture System and the In Vitro Prophylactic Effect of Interferons
Published on: August 23, 2016
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Actomyosin-dependent cell contractility orchestrates Zika virus infection
Xinyi Huang1,2, Yifan Xing3,4, Yanqin Cui1
1Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, China.
Journal of Cell Science
|August 25, 2023
Summary
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection increases host cell contractility. Reducing this contractility, through drug or matrix changes, impairs ZIKV infection, replication, and production.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Emerging infectious diseases, like Zika virus (ZIKV), present significant global health challenges.
- The influence of host cell mechanobiology on ZIKV pathogenesis remains poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of host cell contractility in ZIKV infection dynamics.
- To determine if manipulating host cell contractility affects viral infection efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Utilized drug perturbation and gene editing to alter intracellular actomyosin function.
- Employed compliant extracellular matrices to modulate host cell contractility.
- Assessed ZIKV infection efficiency, viral genome replication, and particle production.
Main Results:
- ZIKV infection was observed to increase host cell contractility.
- Disrupting actomyosin function significantly reduced ZIKV infection, replication, and viral particle release.
- Culturing cells on softer substrates, which decreased contractility, also compromised ZIKV infection.
Conclusions:
- Host cell contractility is positively correlated with ZIKV infection efficacy.
- Mechanobiological properties of host cells represent a novel factor in ZIKV-host interactions.
- Targeting host cell contractility may offer new strategies for controlling ZIKV infections.
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