Chloroquine, an Endocytosis Blocking Agent, Inhibits Zika Virus Infection in Different Cell Models

Delvecchio, Rodrigo; Higa, Luiza M.; Pezzuto, Paula; Valadão, Ana Luiza; Garcez, Patrícia P.; Monteiro, Fábio L.; Loiola, Erick C.; Dias, André A.; Silva, Fábio J. M.; Aliota, Matthew T.; Caine, Elizabeth A.; Osorio, Jorge E.; Bellio, Maria; O’Connor, David H.; Rehen, Stevens; de Aguiar, Renato Santana; Savarino, Andrea; Campanati, Loraine; Tanuri, Amilcar

Neural stem cells are key cells in the process of corticogenesis, giving rise to the three main cell types of the central nervous system: neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Depletion of the NSC pool is one of the main mechanisms responsible for primary microcephaly [33] . To evaluate if chloroquine could protect these cells from ZIKV MR766 infection, NSCs were exposed to up to 50 μM chloroquine for 4 days. Chloroquine treatment decreased the number of NSCs infected with ZIKV MR766 by 57%, and, through cell viability assessment protected 70% of NSCs from ZIKV infection, without cytotoxicity effects ( Figure 5A-D) . Similar results were observed when NSCs were infected with the Brazilian strain ( Figure 5E ).