Photo Credit: Shivendu
The following is a summary of “Transcriptomic insights into early mechanisms underlying post-chikungunya chronic inflammatory joint disease,” published in the February 2025 issue of Scientific Reports by Ramundo et al.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study on Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection, which often leads to Post-Chikungunya Chronic Inflammatory Joint Disease (pCHIKV-CIJD), disrupting daily life and increasing healthcare costs.
They analyzed RNA transcripts, including small RNAs, from the whole blood of patients infected with CHIKV to investigate molecular mechanisms of pCHIKV-CIJD. They compared patients who developed pCHIKV-CIJD with those who did not identify molecular signatures in acute and post-acute phases.
The results showed that LIFR, an immune receptor enhancing IL-6 transcription, was down-regulated in the acute phase of patients with pCHIKV-CIJD, while its inhibitor, hsa-miR-98-5p, was up-regulated. Downregulated genes included immune components affecting antiviral response, promoting virus persistence. Patients with pCHIKV-CIJD also had reduced transcript levels of MMP8, LFT, and DDIT4, genes linked to inflammatory arthritis and pCHIKV-CIJD development.
Investigators identified early molecular mechanisms involved in the progression of pCHIKV-CIJD and highlighted potential targets for further research. The findings revealed specific differentially expressed genes (DEGs), notably a high prevalence of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), offering key insights into disease pathogenesis.
Source: nature.com/articles/s41598-025-86761-x
