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Hatton AA, Guerra FE. Scratching the Surface Takes a Toll: Immune Recognition of Viral Proteins by Surface Toll-like Receptors. Viruses 2022; 15:52. [PMID: 36680092 PMCID: PMC9863796 DOI: 10.3390/v15010052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Early innate viral recognition by the host is critical for the rapid response and subsequent clearance of an infection. Innate immune cells patrol sites of infection to detect and respond to invading microorganisms including viruses. Surface Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a group of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that can be activated by viruses even before the host cell becomes infected. However, the early activation of surface TLRs by viruses can lead to viral clearance by the host or promote pathogenesis. Thus, a plethora of research has attempted to identify specific viral ligands that bind to surface TLRs and mediate progression of viral infection. Herein, we will discuss the past two decades of research that have identified specific viral proteins recognized by cell surface-associated TLRs, how these viral proteins and host surface TLR interactions affect the host inflammatory response and outcome of infection, and address why controversy remains regarding host surface TLR recognition of viral proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis A. Hatton
- Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59718, USA
| | - Fermin E. Guerra
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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Abstract
Persistent neurological and neuropsychiatric symptoms affect a substantial fraction of people after COVID-19 and represent a major component of the post-acute COVID-19 syndrome, also known as long COVID. Here, we review what is understood about the pathobiology of post-acute COVID-19 impact on the CNS and discuss possible neurobiological underpinnings of the cognitive symptoms affecting COVID-19 survivors. We propose the chief mechanisms that may contribute to this emerging neurological health crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Monje
- Department of Neurology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, USA.
| | - Akiko Iwasaki
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University, USA.
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Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Human Herpesviruses Are Back! Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11020185. [PMID: 33572802 PMCID: PMC7912523 DOI: 10.3390/biom11020185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) or Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease (SEID) is a chronic multisystem illness of unconfirmed etiology. There are currently no biomarkers and/or signatures available to assist in the diagnosis of the syndrome and while numerous mechanisms have been hypothesized to explain the pathology of ME/CFS, the triggers and/or drivers remain unknown. Initial studies suggested a potential role of the human herpesviruses especially Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the disease process but inconsistent and conflicting data led to the erroneous suggestion that these viruses had no role in the syndrome. New studies using more advanced approaches have now demonstrated that specific proteins encoded by EBV could contribute to the immune and neurological abnormalities exhibited by a subgroup of patients with ME/CFS. Elucidating the role of these herpesvirus proteins in ME/CFS may lead to the identification of specific biomarkers and the development of novel therapeutics.
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Williams PhD MV, Cox B, Lafuse PhD WP, Ariza ME. Epstein-Barr Virus dUTPase Induces Neuroinflammatory Mediators: Implications for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Clin Ther 2019; 41:848-863. [PMID: 31040055 PMCID: PMC6525645 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2019.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Neuroinflammation is a common feature in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), affecting 85%-90% of all patients, yet the underlying mechanism or mechanisms responsible for the initiation and/or promotion of this process is largely unknown. Multiple reports, however, have suggested a role for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), in particular, in ME/CFS, but its potential role, if any, in the neuroinflammatory process has not been addressed. In support of this premise, studies by our group have found that the EBV protein deoxyuridine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolase (dUTPase) induces anxiety and sickness behaviors in female mice. We also found that a small subset of patients with ME/CFS exhibited prolonged and significantly elevated neutralizing antibodies against EBV dUTPase protein in serum, which inversely correlated with ME/CFS symptoms. A larger ME/CFS case-control cohort study further confirmed that a significant percentage of patients with ME/CFS (30.91%-52.7%) were simultaneously producing antibodies against multiple human herpesviruses-encoded dUTPases and/or human dUTPase. Altogether, these findings suggest that EBV dUTPase protein may be involved in the neuroinflammatory process observed in ME/CFS. Thus, the aim of the present study was to determine whether the EBV dUTPase protein could contribute to neuroinflammation by altering the expression of genes involved with maintaining blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity and/or modulating synaptic plasticity. METHODS With the use of human immortalized astrocytes, microglia, and cerebral microvascular endothelial cells, we conducted time-course (0-24 h) experiments with EBV dUTPase protein (10 μg/mL) to determine what effect(s) it may have on the expression of genes involved with BBB permeability, astrocytes and microglia cell function, tryptophan metabolism, and synaptic plasticity by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). In parallel, in vivo studies were conducted in female C57Bl/6 mice. Mice were injected by the intraperitoneal route with EBV dUTPase protein (10 μg) or vehicle daily for 5 days, and the brains were collected and processed for further qRT-PCR analysis of the in vivo effect of the dUTPase on the dopamine/serotonin and γ-aminobutyric acid/glutamate pathways, which are important for brain function, using RT2 Profiler PCR Arrays. FINDINGS EBV dUTPase protein altered the expression in vitro (12 of 15 genes and 32 of 1000 proteins examined) and in vivo (34 of 84 genes examined) of targets with central roles in BBB integrity/function, fatigue, pain synapse structure, and function, as well as tryptophan, dopamine, and serotonin metabolism. IMPLICATIONS The data suggest that in a subset of patients with ME/CFS, the EBV dUTPase could initiate a neuroinflammatory reaction, which contributes to the fatigue, excessive pain, and cognitive impairments observed in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marshall V Williams PhD
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA; Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Brandon Cox
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - William P Lafuse PhD
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Maria Eugenia Ariza
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA; Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA.
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Kerr JR. Epstein-Barr Virus Induced Gene-2 Upregulation Identifies a Particular Subtype of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. Front Pediatr 2019; 7:59. [PMID: 30918887 PMCID: PMC6424879 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2019.00059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a chronic multisystem disease characterized by a variety of symptoms, and exhibits various features of an autoimmune-like disease. Subtypes are well recognized but to date are difficult to identify objectively. The disease may be triggered by infection with a variety of micro-organisms, including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). A subset of CFS/ME patients exhibit up regulation of EBV virus induced gene 2 (EBI2) mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and these patients appear to have a more severe disease phenotype and lower levels of EBNA1 IgG. EBI2 is induced by EBV infection and has been found to be upregulated in a variety of autoimmune diseases. EBI2 is a critical gene in immunity and central nervous system function; it is a negative regulator of the innate immune response in monocytes. Its heterogeneous expression in CFS/ME could explain the variable occurrence of a variety of immune and neurological abnormalities which are encountered in patients with CFS/ME. The EBI2 subtype occurred in 38-55% CFS/ME patients in our studies. Further work is required to confirm the role of EBV and of EBI2 and its oxysterol ligands in CFS/ME, and to identify the most practical means to identify patients of the EBI subtype. There are two EBI2 antagonists currently in development, and these may hold promise in the treatment of CFS/ME patients of the EBI subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R Kerr
- Department of Microbiology, West Suffolk Hospital Foundation Trust, Bury St Edmunds, United Kingdom
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Halpin P, Williams MV, Klimas NG, Fletcher MA, Barnes Z, Ariza ME. Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and gulf war illness patients exhibit increased humoral responses to the herpesviruses-encoded dUTPase: Implications in disease pathophysiology. J Med Virol 2017; 89:1636-1645. [PMID: 28303641 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.24810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Gulf War Illness (GWI) are debilitating diseases with overlapping symptomology and there are currently no validated tests for definitive diagnosis of either syndrome. While there is evidence supporting the premise that some herpesviruses may act as possible triggers of ME/CFS, the involvement of herpesviruses in the pathophysiology of GWI has not been studied in spite of a higher prevalence of ME/CFS in these patients. We have previously demonstrated that the deoxyuridine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolases (dUTPase) encoded by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) possess novel functions in innate and adaptive immunity. The results of this study demonstrate that a significant percentage of patients with ME/CFS (30.91-52.7%) and GWI (29.34%) are simultaneously producing antibodies against multiple human herpesviruses-encoded dUTPases and/or the human dUTPase when compared to controls (17.21%). GWI patients exhibited significantly higher levels of antibodies to the HHV-6 and human dUTPases than controls (P = 0.0053 and P = 0.0036, respectively), while the ME/CFS cohort had higher anti-EBV-dUTPase antibodies than in both GWI patients (P = 0.0008) and controls (P < 0.0001) as well as significantly higher anti-human dUTPase antibodies than in controls (P = 0.0241). These results suggest that screening of patients' sera for the presence of various combinations of anti-dUTPase antibodies could be used as potential biomarkers to help identify/distinguish patients with these syndromes and better direct treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Halpin
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Marshall Vance Williams
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.,Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Nancy G Klimas
- NOVA Southeastern University, Institute for Neuro Immune Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.,Miami VA Medical Center, Miami, Florida
| | - Mary Ann Fletcher
- NOVA Southeastern University, Institute for Neuro Immune Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.,Miami VA Medical Center, Miami, Florida
| | - Zachary Barnes
- NOVA Southeastern University, Institute for Neuro Immune Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.,University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - Maria Eugenia Ariza
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.,Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
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Williams MV, Cox B, Ariza ME. Herpesviruses dUTPases: A New Family of Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern (PAMP) Proteins with Implications for Human Disease. Pathogens 2016; 6:pathogens6010002. [PMID: 28036046 PMCID: PMC5371890 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens6010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The human herpesviruses are ubiquitous viruses and have a prevalence of over 90% in the adult population. Following a primary infection they establish latency and can be reactivated over a person's lifetime. While it is well accepted that human herpesviruses are implicated in numerous diseases ranging from dermatological and autoimmune disease to cancer, the role of lytic proteins in the pathophysiology of herpesvirus-associated diseases remains largely understudies. Only recently have we begun to appreciate the importance of lytic proteins produced during reactivation of the virus, in particular the deoxyuridine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolases (dUTPase), as key modulators of the host innate and adaptive immune responses. In this review, we provide evidence from animal and human studies of the Epstein-Barr virus as a prototype, supporting the notion that herpesviruses dUTPases are a family of proteins with unique immunoregulatory functions that can alter the inflammatory microenvironment and thus exacerbate the immune pathology of herpesvirus-related diseases including myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune diseases, and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marshall V Williams
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Brandon Cox
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Maria Eugenia Ariza
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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Aubrecht TG, Weil ZM, Abi Salloum B, Ariza ME, Williams M, Reader B, Glaser R, Sheridan J, Nelson RJ. Chronic Physical Stress Does Not Interact with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-Encoded Dutpase to Alter the Sickness Response. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 5:513-523. [PMID: 27175311 PMCID: PMC4862656 DOI: 10.4236/jbbs.2015.511049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Most adult humans have been infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is thought to contribute to the development of chronic fatigue syndrome. Stress is known to influence the immune system and can exacerbate the sickness response. Although a role for psychological stress in the sickness response, particularly in combination with EBV-encoded deoxyuridine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolase (dUTPase) has been established, and the role of physical stressors in these interactions remains unspecified. In this study, we seek to determine the interaction of chronic physical (swim) stress and EBV-encoded dUTPase injection. We hypothesize that a chronic physical stressor will exacerbate the sickness response following EBV-encoded dUTPase injection. To test this hypothesis mice receive daily injections of EBV-encoded dUTPase or vehicle and are subjected to 15 min of swim stress each day for 14 days or left unmanipulated. On the final evening of injections mice undergo behavioral testing. EBV-encoded dUTPase injection alone produces some sickness behaviors. The physical swimming stress does not alter the sickness response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taryn G Aubrecht
- Departments of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Zachary M Weil
- Departments of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Bachir Abi Salloum
- Departments of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Maria Eugenia Ariza
- Molecular Virology, Immunology & Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Marshall Williams
- Molecular Virology, Immunology & Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Brenda Reader
- Institute of Behavioral Medicine Research, Wexner Medical Center, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ronald Glaser
- Molecular Virology, Immunology & Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Institute of Behavioral Medicine Research, Wexner Medical Center, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - John Sheridan
- Institute of Behavioral Medicine Research, Wexner Medical Center, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Division of Biosciences, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Randy J Nelson
- Departments of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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