Retroviruses and nervous system disease

During the past decade retroviruses have been recognized as causes of human neurological disease. A wide clinical spectrum of neurological and neuromuscular diseases have been reported with HIV infections, and studies of these diseases have raised novel and exciting hypotheses of pathogenesis. As yet the full clinical spectrum of diseases associated with HTLV-1 has yet to be defined, and the pathogenesis of the chronic spastic paraparesis remains a mystery. Chronic neurological diseases in animals caused by both oncoviruses and lentiviruses can provide some clues to the pathogenesis of these newly recognized human neurological illnesses.

Mechanism of action of regulatory proteins encoded by complex retroviruses

Complex retroviruses are distinguished by their ability to control the expression of their gene products through the action of virally encoded regulatory proteins. These viral gene products modulate both the quantity and the quality of viral gene expression through regulation at both the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. The most intensely studied retroviral regulatory proteins, termed Tat and Rev, are encoded by the prototypic complex retrovirus human immunodeficiency virus type 1. However, considerable information also exists on regulatory proteins encoded by human T-cell leukemia virus type I, as well as several other human and animal complex retroviruses. In general, these data demonstrate that retrovirally encoded transcriptional trans-activators can exert a similar effect by several very different mechanisms. In contrast, posttranscriptional regulation of retroviral gene expression appears to occur via a single pathway that is probably dependent on the recruitment of a highly conserved cellular cofactor. These two shared regulatory pathways are proposed to be critical to the ability of complex retroviruses to establish chronic infections in the face of an ongoing host immune response.

[Evolution and ecological changes of animal viruses]

Although the origin of viruses has not yet been clarified, definite differences in evolutionary patterns have been found among RNA. Retro and DNA viruses. These differences are reflected in infectious diseases. RNA viruses, which have RNA in their genome, replicate many times over in cells within a short period of time, destroying the host cells and causing an acute infection. As the error frequency of RNA replicase enzymes is high, the rate of evolution of RNA viruses is very rapid. Retroviruses also contain RNA as their genome, but the genome RNA is reversely transcribed to the DNA in nuclei and then incorporated into the host chromosome to replicate. The error frequency of reverse transcriptase is also high, and therefore mutations easily occur as well. The transcribed DNA is integrated into host DNA in the nucleus, and it remains in the integrated state for human entire life time, causing chronic disease or developing malignant tumors. As DNA viruses except poxviruses replicate inside the cell nucleus and the error frequency of DNA polymerase is low, the speed of mutation and the degree of resulting diversity are lower than those in the case of the RNA virus. DNA viruses tend to stay inside the body for long periods of time and easily become latent. In this paper, I shall discuss 1) the nature of viruses, 2) the origin of viruses, 3) mutation and recombination, 4) diversity of RNA viruses, 5) quickly changing viral diseases, 6) eradicated viral diseases, 7) chronic and malignant diseases, and 8) control of viral diseases.

Murine retrovirus-induced spongiform encephalomyelopathy: host and viral factors which determine the length of the incubation period

A molecular clone of wild mouse ecotropic retrovirus CasBrE (clone 15-1) causes a spongiform neurodegenerative disease with a long incubation period, greater than or equal to 6 months. This virus infects the central nervous system (CNS) at low levels. In contrast, a chimeric virus, FrCasE, containing env and 3' pol sequences of 15-1 in a Friend murine leukemia virus background, infects the CNS at high levels and causes a rapid neurodegenerative disease with an incubation period of only 16 days. With both viruses, the induction of neurologic disease is dependent on inoculation during the perinatal period. Since the length of the incubation period of this disease appears to be a function of the relative level of CNS infection, we have attempted to identify the viral and host factors which determine the relative level of virus infection of the CNS. It was previously shown that the CNS is susceptible to infection only during the perinatal period (M. Czub, S. Czub, F. J. McAtee, and J. L. Portis, J. Virol. 65:2539-2544, 1991). Here we have found that the susceptibility of the CNS wanes progressively or gradually as a function of the age of the host, this age-dependent resistance being complete by 12 to 14 days of age. Utilizing a group of chimeric viruses, we found that the relative level of CNS infection achieved after inoculation of mice at 1 day of age was a function of the kinetics of virus replication and spread in peripheral organs. Viruses which reached peak viremia titers early (5 to 7 days of age) infected the CNS at high levels, and viruses which reached peak titers later infected the CNS at lower levels. Among the group of viruses examined in the current study, the kinetics of peripheral virus replication and spread appeared to be influenced primarily by sequences within the R-U5-5' leader region of the viral genome. These results suggested that the relative level of CNS infection was determined very early in life and appeared to be a function of a dynamic balance between the kinetics of virus replication in the periphery and a progressively developing restriction of virus replication in the CNS.

The diversity of retroviral diseases of the immune system

Retroviruses have been implicated as causative agents for a range of diseases including neoplasia, autoimmunity and immunosuppression. No two retroviruses carry the same complement of genes and for this reason it is not surprising that they induce a variety of different disease states. One common element in retroviral evolution has been the need to avoid immune recognition in order to persist within the host. A comparative approach, looking at various persistent retroviruses, has been used to pin-point the types of genetic adaptations adopted by retroviruses to remain hidden, often within the T cell compartment. Most of these retroviruses are T-cell-tropic and the diseases which they induce usually reflect the effect of the retrovirus on normal lymphocyte function.

[Basic understanding of retroviruses]

Retroviruses contain a reverse transcriptase in the virion that converts viral genomic RNA to proviral DNA. Retroviruses are divided into three groups; oncovirus, lentivirus, and spumavirus. The oncovirus group contains HTLV-1, which causes adult T-cell leukemia, encephalomyeloneuropathy, arthritis, and alveolo-bronchopathy. The lentivirus groups contains HIV, which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and dementia. The genomic structures and functions of HTLV-1 and HIV have been demonstrated to explain the pathogenesis of these retroviruses.

Transactivation of erythroid transcription factor GATA-1 by a myb-ets-containing retrovirus

ME26 virus is a recombinant mouse retrovirus construct homologous to the avian E26 virus. Both encode a 135-kDa gag-myb-ets fusion protein which is localized in the nucleus. We have recently shown that ME26 virus can induce erythropoietin (Epo) responsiveness in hematopoietic cells. Mice infected with ME26 virus develop a hyperplasia of Epo-dependent hematopoietic precursor cells from which permanent cell lines can be established. In vitro, ME26 virus specifically induces Epo responsiveness in the interleukin-3-dependent myeloid cell line FDC-P2 by enhancing expression of the Epo receptor (EpoR). In the present study we demonstrate that ME26 virus infection of FDC-P2 cells also results in enhanced expression of beta-globin and the erythroid-specific transcription factor GATA-1, a protein which can transactivate both the EpoR promoter and globin genes. In addition, these cells exhibit a down-regulation of c-myb expression similar to that seen in differentiating erythroid cells. To determine the molecular basis for activation of erythroid genes in ME26 virus-infected cells, we carried out transient expression assays with DNA constructs of either the EpoR promoter of the GATA-1 promoter linked to reporter genes. Our results indicate that while ME26 virus did not directly enhance expression from the EpoR promoter, both it and its avian parent, E26, transactivated the GATA-1 promoter. Furthermore, ME26 virus cooperates with the GATA-1 protein to enhance expression of the EpoR gene. We propose that the mechanism by which ME26 virus induces erythroleukemia involves transactivation of the GATA-1 gene, thus positively regulating the expression of the EpoR and leading to the proliferation of a unique population of Epo-responsive cells. By specifically inducing Epo responsiveness in hematopoietic cells via transactivation of a transcription factor, ME26 virus utilizes a novel mechanism for retrovirus pathogenesis.

Hematologic disease induced in BALB/c mice by a bcr-abl retrovirus is influenced by the infection conditions

Irradiated mice reconstituted with bone marrow cells infected with a retrovirus carrying the bcr-abl oncogene of human chronic myeloid leukemia are subject to a range of neoplastic hematopoietic diseases, both myeloid and lymphoid. Comparison of DBA/2 and C57BL/6 mice has revealed a marked strain difference in susceptibility to the various tumor types. The present study, performed with BALB/c mice, indicates that the kinetics and nature of the induced disease can be modulated by the infection procedure, as well as the genetic background, and that retroviral regulatory sequences may influence the outcome. A distinctive clonal myeloproliferative disorder, somewhat akin to chronic myeloid leukemia but with prominent erythroid and mast cell components, as well as granulocytic excess, was characterized.

The majority of cells infected with the defective murine AIDS virus belong to the B-cell lineage

Murine AIDS (MAIDS) is caused by a defective retrovirus which encodes a gag fusion protein (Pr60gag). We previously reported that this virus induced an oligoclonal proliferation of infected cells and suggested that this cell expansion was an important event in the pathogenesis of MAIDS. To identify these target cells, we constructed novel defective viruses whose genomes could be detected with specific probes. Helper-free stocks of these viruses induced MAIDS. Using in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry and Southern analysis, we found that most infected cells belong to the B-cell lineage. Transformation of these B cells appears to be the primary event responsible for the development of immunodeficiency. This animal model may be relevant to our understanding of AIDS, of the immunodeficiencies associated with B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders, and of the role of B-cell proliferation and transformation in the effects of superantigens, since Pr60gag appears to be a superantigen.

Generation of functional murine macrophage lines employing a helper-free and replication-defective SV40-retrovirus: cytokine-dependent growth

By using a helper-free and replication-defective recombinant retrovirus encoding the SV40 early antigens (MV40), we have established continuous macrophage (M phi) lines. All of the lines were nonproducer M phi's with differentiated M phi functions such as phagocytosis, cytotoxicity, and IL-1 and TNF production. To determine the effects of several cytokines on growth of mature M phi's, the responsiveness of these established M phi lines to various cytokines was investigated in methylcellulose culture. Their response patterns to several cytokines alone and in combination were different, implying that there might be mature M phi subpopulations with distinct growth profiles regulated by several cytokines. On the other hand, all of the lines efficiently yielded a number of colonies in response to interleukin-4 (IL-4) alone. Moreover, IL-4 cooperated with interleukin-3 (IL-3) to enhance colony formation of all the lines. A similarly synergistic effect was observed in combination of IL-4 and macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) in almost all the lines. Similar results were obtained with colony formation of fresh thioglycolate-induced M phi's. These observations suggested that IL-4 was involved in growth of mature M phi's. Our present results suggest that the helper-free and replication-defective MV40 is of use to obtain continuous and functional cell lines from primary M phi's.

Murine retrovirus-induced spongiform encephalopathy: productive infection of microglia and cerebellar neurons in accelerated CNS disease

We have examined the pathological lesions and sites of infection in mice inoculated with a highly neurovirulent recombinant wild mouse ecotropic retrovirus (FrCasE). The spongiform lesions appeared initially as swollen postsynaptic neuronal processes, progressing to swelling in neuronal cell bodies, all in the absence of detectable gliosis. Infection of neurons in regions of vacuolation was not detected. However, high level infection of cerebellar granule neurons was observed in the absence of cytopathology, wherein viral protein was found associated with both axons and dendrites. Infection of ramified and amoeboid microglial cells was associated with cytopathology in the brain stem, and endothelial cell-pericyte infection was found throughout the CNS. No evidence of defective retroviral expression was observed. These results are consistent with an indirect mechanism of retrovirus-induced neuropathology.

Coexistence of fusion receptors for human T-cell leukemia virus type-I (HTLV-I) and human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) on MOLT-4 cells

Human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) and human T-cell leukemia virus type-I (HTLV-I) have a similar tropism for target cell types, especially for CD4+ T cells. In this study, we provide evidence that receptors of these two viruses exist independently on the target cell. We established an HTLV-I-producing CD8+ T cell line (ILT-8M2) with a remarkable cell fusion capacity. When cocultured with MOLT-4 cells, ILT-8M2 cells induced giant syncytia more efficiently than any other tested HTLV-I-producer cell lines. In contrast to other HTLV-I-producers, ILT-8M2 cells were minimally susceptible to cytopathic effects of HIV-1 due to very low expression of CD4, although they were able to be persistently infected by HIV-1. The indicator MOLT-4 cells are known to respond well to HIV-1-induced cell fusion, but they lose this ability if they become persistently infected with HIV-1 because of the reduction of CD4 receptor expression. ILT-8M2 was, however, still capable of inducing syncytia with the MOLT-4 cells persistently infected by HIV-1 (MOLT-4/IIIB). This syncytium formation was dependent on the HTLV-I-envelope, as it was inhibited by HTLV-I-positive human sera or a monoclonal antibody to HTLV-I gp46 but not by monoclonal antibodies to HIV-1 gp120 or CD4. Moreover, ILT-8M2 cells persistently infected by HIV-1 (ILT-8M2/IIIB) induced both HTLV-I- and HIV-1-mediated syncytia with uninfected MOLT-4 cells. These results suggest that HTLV-I induces cell fusion utilizing receptors on the target cells independent of HIV-1-receptors.

An unusual transmissible agent--MaTu

MaTu is an agent, believed to be derived from a human mammary carcinoma, which displayed several extraordinary properties. These were: RIP and PAGE revealed in MaTu-infected cells only a single protein band of Mr 58 k, the gp 58. This gp 58 was immunoprecipitated by antibodies present in some human sera as well as in some sera of rabbits, sheep, and cattle. MaTu had an extremely restricted host range: it was transmissible only to HeLa cells, but not to human embryo fibroblasts, to three human tumour cell lines (T 47 D, T 24, and HMB 2) or to monkey Vero and rabbit SIRC cells. A retrovirus with a broad host range, used as a helper (X-MLV) enabled the transmission of MaTu to human fibroblasts, but not to Vero or SIRC, which are also permissive for X-MLV. These observations, together with our previous reports, support the view that MaTu might either be a novel type of defective virus, or even a non-viral autonomous genetic element.

Cytokine induction in HTLV-I associated myelopathy and adult T-cell leukemia: alternate molecular mechanisms underlying retroviral pathogenesis

The human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) is capable of inducing a variety of host cellular genes including many of the cytokines responsible for immune regulation and osteoclast activation. This derangement in cytokine expression may contribute to the panoply of disease states associated with HTLV-I infection such as the adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). We wished to determine if there was a correlation between the expression of an array of cytokines and the diverse clinical manifestations of ATL and HAM/TSP. Utilizing the techniques of specific mRNA amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as well as Northern blotting, we analyzed the ex vivo mRNA expression of gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in the peripheral blood of HAM/TSP and ATL patients as well as asymptomatic seropositive carriers. IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, and IL-1 beta transcripts were up-regulated in patients with HAM/TSP and seropositive carriers when compared to their levels in ATL and normal controls. In contrast, the ATL patients constitutively expressed higher levels of TGF-beta 1 mRNA than HAM/TSP and seropositive carriers. In addition, TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta serum levels were elevated in HAM/TSP, but not in ATL patients nor seropositive carriers. However, the circulating leukemic cells from ATL patients secreted increased levels of TGF-beta 1 protein into the culture medium than T-cells derived from HAM/TSP patients. Collectively these results suggest that induction of IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, and IL-1 beta in HAM/TSP may initiate an inflammatory cascade with subsequent events leading to immune mediated destruction of the central nervous system in these patients. Expression of osteoclast activators such as TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta is not associated with hypercalcemia in ATL. Finally, impaired cellular and humoral immune responses present in ATL, but not in HAM/TSP, may be related to elevated levels of TGF-beta 1 produced by the leukemic cells. These differences in retroviral-induced host cytokine expression in ATL and HAM/TSP suggest alternate roles in disease pathogenesis.

Murine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (MAIDS): an animal model to study the AIDS pathogenesis

Murine AIDS (MAIDS) is a disease that shows many similarities with human AIDS. Several immunological parameters of the disease have been analyzed and genetic studies have mapped a gene (or genes) of resistance in the H-2 complex and shown that the genetic background of the mouse can significantly modify some features of the disease. The etiologic agent of MAIDS is a defective murine leukemia virus that seems able to induce disease in the absence of virus replication. This defective virus induces proliferation of its target cells and the cell expansion was found to be oligoclonal, thus suggesting that the immunodeficiency observed in these mice is a paraneoplastic syndrome. The excellent response of MAIDS mice to antineoplastic agents is consistent with this notion. This animal model has already been useful in stimulating the emergence of novel questions and the formulation of new hypotheses about human AIDS, namely about the role of defective HIV, the role of HIV replication in the progression of the disease, and the importance to identify the target cells of HIV in vivo. Although MAIDS and AIDS are not identical and are induced by retroviruses of different classes, the availability of such a model in an easily accessible small animal species, whose genetics is very sophisticated, may be instrumental in understanding the pathogenesis of AIDS if some of the cellular and molecular affected pathways are common in both diseases.

Isolation and characterization of irradiation fusion hybrids from mouse chromosome 1 for mapping Rmc-1, a gene encoding a cellular receptor for MCF class murine retroviruses

An irradiation-reduced somatic cell hybrid mapping panel was constructed of BALB/c mouse Chromosome 1. Nineteen hybrids were selected from a pool of 292 clones to generate a fine structure physical map of the distal 40 cM of the chromosome. The hybrids contain mouse DNA fragments only from Chromosome 1, ranging from approximately 5 cM to approximately 20 cM. Utilizing a viral infectibility assay, a cellular receptor gene, Rmc-1, for the MCF class of murine retroviruses was found to be linked to Lamb2, in the region between the Lamb2 and Bxv-1 loci. In addition, analysis of the hybrid mapping panel resulted in the remapping of three loci, Atpb, Ly-5, and Pmv-24, as compared to the mouse linkage map. Two previously unmapped endogenous proviruses are also putatively assigned positions on the chromosome.

Gene transfer into rat airway epithelial cells using retroviral vectors

Primary cultures of epithelial cells from adult rat tracheas were maintained in vitro on collagen matrices and were exposed to a murine retrovirus vector expressing the E. coli beta-galactosidase gene. Infection was carried out on cells grown as monolayers under medium and on cells grown on raised platforms. Cells maintained at an air-medium interface were highly susceptible to infection with the vector, showing an efficiency of infection of 20-25%, compared with an efficiency of less than 1% for cells grown under medium. Infected beta-galactosidase-expressing cells were seeded into denuded tracheas and were capable of partially repopulating the denuded tracheas grafted subcutaneously into host rats. The susceptibility of these cells to retroviral infection suggests an approach to the treatment of some pulmonary genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis.

Viruses and cancer

The fact that viruses can cause cancer in animals has been appreciated since the turn of the century. The widely held belief that viruses had little to do with cancer in humans has only recently been dispelled. Two classes of human retrovirus (HTLV and HIV) have been discovered in the last decade and the malignant potential of hepatitis B virus, Epstein Barr Virus and the human papilloma virus have been documented not only by confirming their association with disease by large scale epidemological studies but also at the molecular level. Indeed detailed investigation of the way viruses can cause cancer can reveal new insights into 'final common pathways' and hopefully provide new approaches for treatment over and above the real possibility that virus associated cancers can potentially be vaccinated against.

N-linked glycosylation and reticuloendotheliosis retrovirus envelope glycoprotein function

Different properties of the spleen necrosis virus (SNV) envelope glycoprotein were analyzed following biosynthesis in the presence of glycosylation inhibitors. Tunicamycin, which inhibits all asparagine N-linked glycosylation, prevented intracellular processing and translocation to the cell surface of the envelope protein. In contrast, castanospermine or deoxymannojirimycin, which block glycosidase trimming of the early high-mannose chains and subsequent complex type N-glycosylation, did not inhibit proteolytic cleavage or cellular translocation. The ability of unglycosylated and partially glycosylated envelope protein to bind the viral receptor was assayed using an infection interference assay. Tunicamycin abrogated SNV envelope glycoprotein-induced receptor interference, whereas the trimming glycosidase inhibitors had no effect on interference. Similarly, tunicamycin but not the glycosidase inhibitors reduced the titers of released virus 100-fold. We conclude that carbohydrate trimming and complex N-glycosylation are not essential for envelope glycoprotein translocation, proteolytic cleavage, receptor binding, or infectivity, whereas cotranslational high-mannose N-glycosylation is essential for all of the SNV envelope glycoprotein properties tested. Syncytia formation can be induced following transfection into D17 cells of an envelope glycoprotein expression plasmid. Unlike virus particle infectivity, cell fusion is strongly inhibited by the glycosidase inhibitors.