Transcriptome profile of the host antiviral response to Chikungunya virus infection in human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs)

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection is characterized by alterations in gene expression profile on host cells that consequently lead to an immune response. Here, we used RNA sequencing to analyze the mRNA expression profile in human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) infected with a Colombian clinical isolate of CHIKV at 6 and 24 hpi. analyze the mRNA expression profile in the human monocyte-derived macrophages infected at 6 and 24 hrs with a Colombian clinical isolate of Chikungunya virus. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from blood samples of 4 healthy donors mixed with 2% EDTA, were isolated through density gradient with Lymphoprep. Monocytes were obtained from total PBMCs by adherence to the plastic and differentiation to macrophages was allowed to occur for 6 days in RPMI-1640 medium supplemented with 10% (v/v) FBS, 4 mM L-glutamine, 0.3% (v/v) NaCO3, and 1% (v/v) antibiotic-antimycotic solution 100X (complete medium), at 37 °C and 5% CO2, without growth factors. CHIKV infection of human MDMs was performed at MOI 5 in serum-free RPMI-1640 medium. Samples were incubated at 37°C for 1.5 h. An hour and a half after infection, the cells were washed with PBS 1X to remove the unbound virus and fresh complete medium was added and incubated at 37°C with 5% CO2. RNA was collected from uninfected MDMs and CHIKV-infected MDMs at 6 and 24 hpi.