Characterization Of The Circadian Expression Profile Of Clock Genes In Aag2 Cell Line Infected And Uninfected By Dengue 2 Virus (Denv2)

Aedes aegypti is a mosquito vector of pathogens that cause important diseases. However, we don't know much about the molecular control of circadian rhythms in these insects. To understand how clock genes interact, we sought to establish the cell culture model for a detailed circadian study. The embryonic cell line Aag2 expresses the major clock genes. Thus, we characterized the circadian expression profile of clock genes in the Aag2 cells by qPCR in uninfected cells in LD12:12 and DD and in infected cells with DENV2 in LD12:12. Among the analyzed genes, only per showed a cyclic expression profile in these cells in both photoperiods. In cells infected with DENV2, we observed that no gene had a cyclic expression profile, although the expression pattern in infected cells is different from control ones, suggesting that for a gene cycling profile to occur, cell synchronization may be necessary.