Apoptosis is promoted by the dsRNA-activated factor (DRAF1) during viral infection independent of the action of interferon or p53

Oncogenic potential of a dominant negative mutant of interferon regulatory factor 3

Interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) is activated in response to various environmental stresses including viral infection and DNA-damaging agents. However, the biological function of IRF3 in cell growth is not well understood. We demonstrated that IRF3 markedly inhibited growth and colony formation of cells. IRF3 blocked DNA synthesis and induced apoptosis. Based on this negative control of cell growth by IRF3, we examined whether functional loss of IRF3 may contribute to oncogenic transformation. IRF3 activity was specifically inhibited by expression of its dominant negative mutant. This mutant lacks a portion of the DNA binding domain like IRF3a, an alternative splice form of IRF3 in the cells. This dominant negative inhibition blocked expression of specific IRF3 target genes. Mutant IRF3 efficiently transformed NIH3T3 cells, as demonstrated by anchorage-independent growth in soft agar and tumorigenicity in nude mice. These results imply that IRF3 may function as a tumor suppressor and suggest a possible role for the relative levels of IRF3 and its dominant negative mutant in tumorigenesis.

Identification of the minimal phosphoacceptor site required for in vivo activation of interferon regulatory factor 3 in response to virus and double-stranded RNA

The ubiquitously expressed latent interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 3 transcription factor is activated in response to virus infection by phosphorylation events that target a cluster of Ser/Thr residues, (382)GGASSLENTVDLHISNSHPLSLTSDQY(408) at the C-terminal end of the protein. To delineate the minimal phosphoacceptor sites required for IRF-3 activation, several point mutations were generated and tested for transactivation potential and cAMP-response element-binding protein-binding protein/p300 coactivator association. Expression of the IRF-3 S396D mutant alone was sufficient to induce type I IFN beta, IFNalpha1, RANTES, and the interferon-stimulated gene 561 promoters. Using SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting with a novel phosphospecific antibody, we show for the first time that, in vivo, IRF-3 is phosphorylated on Ser(396) following Sendai virus infection, expression of viral nucleocapsid, and double-stranded RNA treatment. These results demonstrate that Ser(396) within the C-terminal Ser/Thr cluster is targeted in vivo for phosphorylation following virus infection and plays an essential role in IRF-3 activation. The inability of the phosphospecific antibody to detect Ser(396) phosphorylation in lipopolysaccharide-treated cells suggests that other major pathways may be involved in IRF-3 activation following Toll-like receptor 4 stimulation.

Transcriptional activity of interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-3 depends on multiple protein-protein interactions

Virus infection results in the activation of a set of cellular genes involved in host antiviral defense. IRF-3 has been identified as a critical transcription factor in this process. The activation mechanism of IRF-3 is not fully elucidated, yet it involves a conformational change triggered by the virus-dependent phosphorylation of its C-terminus. This conformational change leads to nuclear accumulation, DNA binding and transcriptional transactivation. Here we show that two distinct sets of Ser/Thr residues of IRF-3, on phosphorylation, synergize functionally to achieve maximal activation. Remarkably, we find that activated IRF-3 lacks transcriptional activity, but activates transcription entirely through the recruitment of the p300/CBP coactivators. Moreover, we show that two separate domains of IRF-3 interact with several distinct regions of p300/CBP. Interference with any of these interactions leads to a complete loss of transcriptional activity, suggesting that a bivalent interaction is essential for coactivator recruitment by IRF-3.

Induction of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway in cells infected with cytopathic bovine virus diarrhoea virus

Cytopathic bovine viral diarrhoea virus (cp BVDV) induces apoptosis in bovine cell cultures. This also seems to be a prominent feature in the pathogenesis of mucosal disease. To gain an insight into the molecular pathways of the cell alterations, the involvement of different members of the apoptotic cascade was analyzed. It was shown that inhibition of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore significantly delayed the cytopathic effect without affecting virus replication. Moreover, the membrane potential (deltapsi(m)) was affected, and translocation of cytochrome c to the cytosol, overexpression of apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 and a significant increase of caspase-9 activity were demonstrated, indicating that the apoptosome is formed. We conclude that at least in vitro, infection of cells with cp BVDV leads to the activation of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis.

Hepatitis A virus inhibits cellular antiviral defense mechanisms induced by double-stranded RNA

The consequences of a hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection on cell-based antiviral responses and the interactions between virus and host cells resulting in persistent infections are poorly understood. In this report, we show that HAV does inhibit double-stranded (dsRNA)-induced beta interferon (IFN-beta) gene expression by influencing the IFN-beta enhanceosome, as well as dsRNA-induced apoptosis, which suggests that both effects may be connected by shared viral and/or cellular factors. This ability of HAV, which preserves the sites of virus production for a longer time, may allow the virus to establish an infection and may be the presupposition for setting up persistent infections. Our results suggest that the inhibitory effect of HAV on the cellular defense mechanisms might not be sufficient to completely prevent the antiviral reactions, which may be induced by accumulating viral dsRNA, at a later stage of infection. However, HAV seems to counteract this situation by downregulation of viral replication and in the following production of viral dsRNA. This ability of noncytopathogenic HAV acts dominantly on cytopathogenic HAV in trans. The downregulation might ensure the moderate replication which seems necessary for inhibition of the antiviral mechanisms by HAV and therefore for the persistent state of the HAV infection.

Multiple signaling pathways leading to the activation of interferon regulatory factor 3

Virus infection of susceptible cells activates multiple signaling pathways that orchestrate the activation of genes, such as cytokines, involved in the antiviral and innate immune response. Among the kinases induced are the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, Jun-amino terminal kinases (JNK) and p38, the IkappaB kinase (IKK) and DNA-PK. In addition, virus infection also activates an uncharacterized VAK responsible for the C-terminal phosphorylation and subsequent activation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3). Virus-mediated activation of IRF-3 through VAK is dependent on viral entry and transcription, since replication deficient virus failed to induce IRF-3 activity. The pathways leading to VAK activation are not well characterized, but IRF-3 appears to represent a novel cellular detection pathway that recognizes viral nucleocapsid (N) structure. Recently, the range of inducers responsible for IRF-3 activation has increased. In addition to virus infection, recognition of bacterial infection mediated through lipopolysaccharide by Toll-like receptor 4 has also been reported. Furthermore, MAP kinase kinase kinase (MAP KKK)-related pathways and DNA-PK induce N-terminal phosphorylation of IRF-3. This review summarizes recent observations in the identification of novel signaling pathways leading to IRF-3 activation.

Transcriptional profiling of interferon regulatory factor 3 target genes: direct involvement in the regulation of interferon-stimulated genes

Ubiquitously expressed interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3) is directly activated after virus infection and functions as a key activator of the immediate-early alpha/beta interferon (IFN) genes, as well as the RANTES chemokine gene. In the present study, a tetracycline-inducible expression system expressing a constitutively active form of IRF-3 (IRF-3 5D) was combined with DNA microarray analysis to identify target genes regulated by IRF-3. Changes in mRNA expression profiles of 8,556 genes were monitored after Tet-inducible expression of IRF-3 5D. Among the genes upregulated by IRF-3 were transcripts for several known IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Subsequent analysis revealed that IRF-3 directly induced the expression of ISG56 in an IFN-independent manner through the IFN-stimulated responsive elements (ISREs) of the ISG56 promoter. These results demonstrate that, in addition to its role in the formation of a functional immediate-early IFN-beta enhanceosome, IRF-3 is able to discriminate among ISRE-containing genes involved in the establishment of the antiviral state as a direct response to virus infection.

The interferon antiviral response: from viral invasion to evasion

One of the initial responses of an organism to infection by pathogenic viruses is the synthesis of antiviral cytokines such as the type I interferons (interferon-alpha/beta), interleukins, and other proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Interferons provide a first line of defence against virus infections by generating an intracellular environment that restricts virus replication and signals the presence of a viral pathogen to the adaptive arm of the immune response. Interferons stimulate cells in the local environment to activate a network of interferon-stimulated genes, which encode proteins that have antiviral, antiproliferative and immunomodulatory activities. The present review focuses on recent reports that describe the activation of multiple signalling pathways following virus infection, new candidate genes that are implicated in the establishment of the antiviral state, and the strategies used by viruses and their specific viral products to antagonize and evade the host antiviral response.

Nuclear/cytoplasmic localization of IRFs in response to viral infection or interferon stimulation

Members of the interferon (IFN) regulatory factor (IRFs) family of transcription factors play diverse roles in immunity and cellular response to viral infections. Their biologic effects result from their ability to regulate either constitutive, inducible, or tissue-specific gene expression. All characterized IRFs contain nuclear localization signals that allow their translocation to the nucleus. However, certain IRFs reside in a latent state in the cytoplasm of the cell and only redistribute to the nucleus following an activating trigger. IRF-3 and IRF-9 are examples of IRFs that are regulated by cellular redistribution. These IRFs use distinct mechanisms that regulate nuclear/cytoplasmic localization, and both depend on strong interaction with non-IRF subunits of multimeric transcription complexes. This review compares the activation of IRF-3 and IRF-9 and their respective physiologic impacts.

Overlapping and distinct mechanisms regulating IRF-3 and IRF-7 function

Recent molecular, biochemical, and gene disruption studies have demonstrated the essential role of interferon (IFN) regulatory factor-3, (IRF-3) and IRF-7 in the activation of type I IFN gene expression and the induction of the antiviral state. Both transcription factors share structural and functional properties, as well as a common mechanism of activation through C-terminal phosphorylation. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent investigations indicating that similar signalling pathways are likely involved in the activation of IRF-3 and IRF-7. Moreover, unique biochemical events, such as coactivator association and differential recognition of cis-acting elements, also illustrate the capacity of IRF-3 and IRF-7 to selectively regulate type I IFN and IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) expression.