CTSL and neuroblastoma: This observation agrees with a recent report indicating that the host protease cathepsin L is capable of cleaving JEV C between amino acid residues Lys-18 and Arg-19, and this cleavage plays an important role in viral replication in mouse macrophages (RAW264.7) and neuroblastoma (N18) cells, as well as in viral virulence in mice [130].