Inhibition of ERK and proliferation in NK cell lines by soluble HLA-E released from Japanese encephalitis virus infected cells

Molecular pathogenesis of Japanese encephalitis and possible therapeutic strategies

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a single-stranded, enveloped RNA virus, is a health concern across Asian countries, associated with severe neurological disorders, especially in children. Primarily, pigs, bats, and birds are the natural hosts for JEV, but humans are infected incidentally. JEV requires a few host proteins for its entry and replication inside the mammalian host cell. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays a significant role in JEV genome replication and assembly. During this process, the ER undergoes stress due to its remodelling and accumulation of viral particles and unfolded proteins, leading to an unfolded protein response (UPR). Here, we review the overall strategy used by JEV to infect the host cell and various cytopathic effects caused by JEV infection. We also highlight the role of JEV structural proteins (SPs) and non-structural proteins (NSPs) at various stages of the JEV life cycle that are involved in up- and downregulation of different host proteins and are potentially relevant for developing efficient therapeutic drugs.

The role of NK cells in fighting the virus infection and sepsis

Natural killer cells, one of the important types of innate immune cells, play a pivotal role in the antiviral process in vivo. It has been shown that increasing NK cell activity may promote the alleviation of viral infections, even severe infection-induced sepsis. Given the current state of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) global pandemic, clarifying the anti-viral function of NK cells would be helpful for revealing the mechanism of host immune responses and decipher the progression of COVID-19 and providing important clues for combating this pandemic. In this review, we summarize the roles of NK cells in viral infection and sepsis as well as the potential possibilities of NK cell-based immunotherapy for treating COVID-19.

Review of Emerging Japanese Encephalitis Virus: New Aspects and Concepts about Entry into the Brain and Inter-Cellular Spreading

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is an emerging flavivirus of the Asia-Pacific region. More than two billion people live in endemic or epidemic areas and are at risk of infection. Recently, the first autochthonous human case was recorded in Africa, and infected birds have been found in Europe. JEV may spread even further to other continents. The first section of this review covers established and new information about the epidemiology of JEV. The subsequent sections focus on the impact of JEV on humans, including the natural course and immunity. Furthermore, new concepts are discussed about JEV’s entry into the brain. Finally, interactions of JEV and host cells are covered, as well as how JEV may spread in the body through latently infected immune cells and cell-to-cell transmission of virions or via other infectious material, including JEV genomic RNA.

HLA Upregulation During Dengue Virus Infection Suppresses the Natural Killer Cell Response

Dengue virus (DENV) is the most prevalent mosquito-borne virus in the world and a major cause of morbidity in the tropics and subtropics. Upregulation of HLA class I molecules has long been considered a feature of DENV infection, yet this has not been evaluated in the setting of natural infection. Natural killer (NK) cells, an innate immune cell subset critical for mounting an early response to viral infection, are inhibited by self HLA class I, suggesting that upregulation of HLA class I during DENV infection could dampen the NK cell response. Here we addressed whether upregulation of HLA class I molecules occurs during in vivo DENV infection and, if so, whether this suppresses the NK cell response. We found that HLA class I expression was indeed upregulated during acute DENV infection across multiple cell lineages in vivo. To better understand the role of HLA class I upregulation, we infected primary human monocytes, a major target of DENV infection, in vitro. Upregulation of total HLA class I is dependent on active viral replication and is mediated in part by cytokines and other soluble factors induced by infection, while upregulation of HLA-E occurs in the presence of replication-incompetent virus. Importantly, blocking DENV-infected monocytes with a pan-HLA class I Fab nearly doubles the frequency of degranulating NK cells, while blocking HLA-E does not significantly improve the NK cell response. These findings demonstrate that upregulation of HLA class I during DENV infection suppresses the NK cell response, potentially contributing to disease pathogenesis.

European Patent in Immunoncology: From Immunological Principles of Implantation to Cancer Treatment

The granted European patent EP 2 561 890 describes a procedure for an immunological treatment of cancer. It is based on the principles of the HLA-supported communication of implantation and pregnancy. These principles ensure that the embryo is not rejected by the mother. In pregnancy, the placenta, more specifically the trophoblast, creates an “interface” between the embryo/fetus and the maternal immune system. Trophoblasts do not express the “original” HLA identification of the embryo/fetus (HLA-A to -DQ), but instead show the non-classical HLA groups E, F, and G. During interaction with specific receptors of NK cells (e.g., killer-immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR)) and lymphocytes (lymphocyte-immunoglobulin-like receptors (LIL-R)), the non-classical HLA groups inhibit these immunocompetent cells outside pregnancy. However, tumors are known to be able to express these non-classical HLA groups and thus make use of an immuno-communication as in pregnancies. If this occurs, the prognosis usually worsens. This patent describes, in a first step, the profiling of the non-classical HLA groups in primary tumor tissue as well as metastases and recurrent tumors. The second step comprises tailored antibody therapies, which is the subject of this patent. In this review, we analyze the underlying mechanisms and describe the currently known differences between HLA-supported communication of implantation and that of tumors.

Upregulation of HLA-E by dengue and not Zika viruses

Introduction

The most severe form of dengue virus (DENV) illness, dengue haemorrhagic fever, is characterised by plasma leakage and increased vascular permeability.

Objectives

Given the critical role that endothelial cells play in the pathogenesis of DENV, we wanted to determine whether infection with DENV altered the expression of MHC class I related genes including HLA‐E.

Results

In this study, we provide evidence that HLA‐E but not MICA/B or HLA‐G is upregulated by all four serotypes of DENV in an endothelial cell line human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC)‐1. In contrast, Zika virus (ZIKV), a related flavivirus, where plasma leakage is not a major manifestation of disease, did not upregulate HLA‐E. We found modest levels of soluble HLA‐E in supernatants from DENV but not ZIKV‐infected cells. Coculture experiments found minimal activation of natural killer (NK) cells in the presence of both uninfected and infected HMEC‐1 cells. HLA‐E induced by DENV infection could not dampen the degranulation of activated NK cells by interacting with its ligand NKG2a.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that while DENV infection induces HLA‐E, the high MHC class I expression on uninfected and infected HMEC‐1 cells may dominate the diverse signals generated between inhibitory and activating receptors on NK cells and ligands on target cells.

Newcastle Disease Virus V Protein Promotes Viral Replication in HeLa Cells through the Activation of MEK/ERK Signaling

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) can infect a wide range of domestic and wild bird species. The non-structural V protein of NDV plays an important role in antagonizing innate host defenses to facilitate viral replication. However, there is a lack of knowledge related to the mechanisms through which the V protein regulates viral replication. The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway in the host is involved in a variety of functions and is activated by several stimuli, including viral replication. In this study, we show that both the lentogenic strain, La Sota, and the velogenic strain, F48E9, of NDV activate the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK)/ERK signaling pathway. The pharmacological inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation using the highly selective inhibitors U0126 and SCH772984 resulted in the reduced levels of NDV RNA in cells and virus titers in the cell supernatant, which established an important role for the MEK/ERK signaling pathway in NDV replication. Moreover, the overexpression of the V protein in HeLa cells increased the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and induced the transcriptional changes in the genes downstream of the MEK/ERK signaling pathway. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the V protein is involved in the ERK signaling pathway-mediated promotion of NDV replication and thus, can be investigated as a potential antiviral target.

Regulation and Function of NK and T Cells During Dengue Virus Infection and Vaccination

The focus of this review is to discuss findings in the last 10 years that have advanced our understanding of human NK cell responses to dengue virus. We will review recently identified interactions of activating and inhibitory receptors on NK cells with dengue virus, human NK responses to natural dengue infection and highlight possible interactions by which NK cells may shape adaptive immune responses. T cell responses to natural dengue infection will be reviewed by Laura Rivino in Chap. 17 . With the advent of numerous dengue vaccine clinical trials, we will also review T and NK cell immune responses to dengue virus vaccination. As our understanding of the diverse functions of NK cell has advanced, it has become increasingly clear that human NK cell responses to viral infections are more complicated than initially recognized.

Defining the role of NK cells during dengue virus infection

In recent years, our understanding of the complex number of signals that need to be integrated between a diverse number of receptors present on natural killer (NK) cells and ligands present on target cells has improved. Here, we review the progress made in identifying interactions between dengue viral peptides presented on HLA Class 1 molecules with inhibitory and activating killer-like immunoglobulin receptors on NK cells, direct interactions of viral proteins with NK cell receptors, the involvement of dengue virus-specific antibodies in mediating antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and the role of soluble factors in modulating NK cell responses. We discuss findings of NK cell activation early after natural dengue infection, and point to the role that NK cells may play in regulating both innate and adaptive immune responses, in the context of our new appreciation of interactions of dengue virus with specific NK cell receptors. With a number of flavivirus vaccine candidates in clinical trials, how NK cells respond to attenuated dengue virus and subunit protein vaccine candidates and shape adaptive immunity will need to be considered.

The Immunogenicity of Colorectal Cancer in Relation to Tumor Development and Treatment

Although most cancer types have been viewed as immunologically silent until recently, it has become increasingly clear that the immune system plays key roles in the course of tumor development. Remarkable progress towards understanding cancer immunogenicity and tumor-immune system interactions has revealed important implications for the design of novel immune-based therapies. Natural immune responses, but also therapeutic interventions, can modulate the tumor phenotype due to selective outgrowth of resistant subtypes. This is the result of heterogeneity of tumors, with genetic instability as a driving force, and obviously changes the immunogenicity of tumors. In this review, we discuss the immunogenicity of colorectal cancer (CRC) in relation to tumor development and treatment. As most tumors, CRC activates the immune system in various ways, and is also capable of escaping recognition and elimination by the immune system. Tumor-immune system interactions underlie the balance between immune control and immune escape, and may differ in primary tumors, in the circulation, and in liver metastases of CRC. Since CRC immunogenicity varies between tumors and individuals, novel immune-based therapeutic strategies should not only anticipate the molecular profile, but also the immunological profile of a specific tumor.

Regulation and trafficking of the HLA-E molecules during monocyte-macrophage differentiation

HLA-E is a nonclassical HLA-class I molecule whose best known role is to protect from the natural killer cells. More recently, an additional function more similar to that of classical HLA-class I molecules, i.e., antigen presentation to T cells, is emerging. However, much remains to be explored about the intracellular trafficking of the HLA-E molecules. With the use of 3 different cellular contexts, 2 monocytic cell lines, U937 and THP1, and peripheral blood monocytes, we show here a remarkable increase of HLA-E during monocyte-macrophage differentiation. This goes independently from the classical HLA-class I, the main source of HLA-E-specific peptides, which is found strongly up-regulated upon differentiation of peripheral blood monocytes but not at all in the case of U937 and THP1 cell lines. Although in all cases, there was a moderate increase of HLA-E expressed in the cell surface, lysis by natural killer cells is comparably restored by an anti-NKG2A antibody in untreated as well as in PMA-differentiated U937 cells. Instead, the great majority of the HLA-E is retained in the vesicles of the autophagy-lysosome network, where they colocalize with the microtubule-associated protein light chain 3, as well as with the lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1. We conclude that differently from the classical HLA-class I molecules, the primary destination of the newly synthesized HLA-E molecules in macrophages is, rather than the cell membrane, the intracellular autophagy-lysosomal vesicles where they are stored and where they can encounter the exogenous antigens.

Infection of human amniotic and endothelial cells by Japanese encephalitis virus: Increased expression of HLA-F

Productive infection of human amniotic and endothelial cell lines with Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) was established leading to the induction of NFκB and HLA-F, a non-classical MHC molecule. Induction of the HLA-F gene and protein in JEV-infected cells was shown to be NFκB dependent since it was blocked by inhibitors of NFκB activation. ShRNA targeting lentivirus-mediated stable knockdown of the p65 subunit of NFκB inhibited JEV-mediated induction of HLA-F both in the amniotic cell line, AV-3 as well as the human brain microendothelial cell line, HBMEC. The induction of HLA-F by treatment of AV-3 with TNF-α was also inhibited by ShRNA mediated knockdown of NFκB. TNF-α treatment of HEK293T cells that were transfected with reporter plasmids under the control of HLA-F enhancer A elements resulted in significant transactivation of the luciferase reporter gene. NFκB-mediated induction of HLA-F following JEV infection and TNF-α exposure is being suggested for the first time.