Chikungunya Virus Interacts with Heat Shock Cognate 70 Protein to Facilitate Its Entry into Mosquito Cell Line.

Aim: The study was designed to identify putative Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) receptor/s on C6/36 cells that facilitate viral entry.

Methods: The virus overlay protein binding assay (VOPBA) was adopted to identify CHIKV-interacting bands present in C6/36 cell membrane and identity of the protein was established by mass spectrometry. The role of this protein as a putative CHIKV receptor on C6/36 cells was confirmed by infection inhibition assay. Cell surface localization of the identified protein was studied by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) on nonpermeabilized cells and by flow cytometry. Interaction between this protein and CHIKV was confirmed by co-immunoprecipation (Co-IP) and Western blotting. The effect of depletion of the identified protein by quercetin was demonstrated by infection inhibition assay.

Results: A 70-kDa protein was identified as a CHIKV-interacting protein by VOPBA. MALDI-TOF analysis followed by homology search revealed that this protein could be heat shock cognate 70 (HSC 70). Anti-HSC 70 antibodies blocked CHIKV entry into C6/36 cells in a dose-dependent manner. IFA and flow cytometry analysis demonstrated HSC 70 localization on C6/36 cell surface. Co-IP experiments confirmed the interaction between HSC 70 and CHIKV envelope. Quercetin- and YM-01-treated C6/36 cells exhibited dose-dependent infection inhibition.

Conclusion: HSC 70 serves as a putative CHIKV receptor on C6/36 cells.