Neuroinvasion by Chandipura virus

•Molecular mechanisms of CNS invasion by several neurotropic viruses are compared.•Modes by which CHPV could surpass BBB to invade CNS are speculated.•Potential CHPV-host protein interactions for experimental research are identified.

Chandipura virus (CHPV) is an arthropod borne rhabdovirus associated with acute encephalitis in children below the age of 15 years in the tropical states of India. Although the entry of the virus into the nervous system is among the crucial events in the pathogenesis of CHPV, the exact mechanism allowing CHPV to invade the central nervous system (CNS) is currently poorly understood. In the present review, based on the knowledge of host interactors previously predicted for CHPV, along with the support from experimental data available for other encephalitic viruses, the authors have speculated the various plausible modes by which CHPV could surpass the blood–brain barrier and invade the CNS to cause encephalitis whilst evading the host immune surveillance. Collectively, this review provides a conservative set of potential interactions that can be employed for future experimental validation with a view to better understand the neuropathogenesis of CHPV.

Graphical abstractCHPV invades CNS either by direct blood–brain barrier (BBB) crossing (A) or Trojan horse crossing (B) to infect glial cells (C) and then spreads among neuronal population (D) simultaneously disrupting BBB (E).Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide