Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), the most prevalent mosquito-borne alphavirus, causes severe arthralgia and myalgia that can persist for years and have a significant impact on health and quality of life. Increasing evidence suggests that skeletal muscle infection plays a critical role in the development of CHIKV disease. The Four-and-a-Half-LIM-protein-1 (FHL1) is a key host factor required for CHIKV replication and associated muscle pathogenesis. This protein is highly expressed in CHIKV-target cells such as fibroblasts or muscle cells.
Related team publications: