Arthritis models for studying chikungunya virus joint inflammation.

Repurposed in vitro arthritis models can effectively simulate key features of chikungunya virus-induced joint inflammation.

• Why it matters: Understanding CHIKV joint pathology is limited despite its clinical importance, and existing models may fill this knowledge gap.
• What they did: The review discusses how arthritis models, originally designed for arthritis research, can be adapted for CHIKV infection studies by addressing susceptibility, matrix composition, immune cell modeling, and culture stability.
• The result: These models provide versatile, human-relevant platforms that could enhance understanding of CHIKV joint inflammation and inform future research and therapeutic strategies.