MHV68 complement regulatory protein facilitates MHV68 replication in primary macrophages in a complement independent manner

Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 Efficiently Infects Myeloid Cells Resulting In An Atypical, Restricted Form Of Infection

The gammaherpesviruses (γHVs) establish a lifelong infection in their hosts, with the cellular outcome of infection intimately regulated by target cell type. Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68), a small animal model of γHV infection, infects macrophages in vivo, resulting in a range of outcomes, from lytic replication to latent infection. Here, we have further investigated the nature of MHV68 macrophage infection using reductionist and primary in vivo infection studies. While MHV68 readily infected the J774 macrophage cell line, viral gene expression and replication were significantly impaired relative to a fully permissive fibroblast cell line. Lytic replication only occurred in a small subset of MHV68-infected J774 cells, despite the fact that these cells were fully competent to support lytic replication following pre-treatment with interleukin-4, a known potentiator of replication in macrophages. In parallel, we harvested virally-infected macrophages at 16 hours after MHV68 infection in vivo and analyzed gene expression by single cell RNA-sequencing. Among virally infected macrophages, only rare (0.25%) cells had lytic cycle gene expression, characterized by detection of multiple lytic cycle RNAs. In contrast, ~50% of virally-infected macrophages were characterized by expression of ORF75A, ORF75B and/or ORF75C, in the absence of other detectable viral RNAs. Selective transcription of the ORF75 locus also occurred in MHV68-infected J774 cells. In total, these studies indicate that MHV68 efficiently infects macrophages, with the majority of cells characterized by an atypical state of restricted viral transcription, and only rare cells undergoing lytic replication.

The Antagonism between the Murine Gammaherpesvirus Protein Kinase and Global Interferon Regulatory Factor 1 Expression Shapes the Establishment of Chronic Infection

Gammaherpesviruses infect most vertebrate species and are associated with B cell lymphomas. Manipulation of B cell differentiation is critical for natural infection and lymphomagenesis driven by gammaherpesviruses. Specifically, human Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) drive differentiation of infected naive B cells into the germinal center to achieve exponential increase in the latent viral reservoir during the establishment of chronic infection. Infected germinal center B cells are also the target of viral lymphomagenesis, as most EBV-positive B cell lymphomas bear the signature of the germinal center response. All gammaherpesviruses encode a protein kinase, which, in the case of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and MHV68, is sufficient and necessary, respectively, to drive B cell differentiation in vivo. In this study, we used the highly tractable MHV68 model of chronic gammaherpesvirus infection to unveil an antagonistic relationship between MHV68 protein kinase and interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1). IRF-1 deficiency had minimal effect on the attenuated lytic replication of the kinase-null MHV68 in vivo. In contrast, the attenuated latent reservoir of the kinase-null MHV68 was partially to fully rescued in IRF-1-/- mice, along with complete rescue of the MHV68-driven germinal center response. Thus, the novel viral protein kinase-IRF-1 antagonism was largely limited to chronic infection dominated by viral latency and was less relevant for lytic replication during acute infection and in vitro. Given the conserved nature of the viral and host protein, the antagonism between the two, as defined in this study, may regulate gammaherpesvirus infection across species. IMPORTANCE Gammaherpesviruses are prevalent pathogens that manipulate physiological B cell differentiation to establish lifelong infection. This manipulation is also involved in gammaherpesvirus-driven B cell lymphomas, as differentiation of latently infected B cells through the germinal center response targets these for transformation. In this study, we define a novel antagonistic interaction between a conserved gammaherpesvirus protein kinase and a host antiviral and tumor suppressor transcription factor. The virus-host antagonism unveiled in this study was critically important to shape the magnitude of gammaherpesvirus-driven germinal center response. In contrast, the virus-host antagonism was far less relevant for lytic viral replication in vitro and during acute infection in vivo, highlighting the emerging concept that nonoverlapping mechanisms shape the parameters of acute and chronic gammaherpesvirus infection.

Hesperetin inhibits KSHV reactivation and is reversed by HIF1α overexpression

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), an oncogenic virus, has two life cycle modes: the latent and lytic phases. KSHV lytic reactivation is important for both viral propagation and KSHV-induced tumorigenesis. The KSHV replication and transcription activator (RTA) protein is essential for lytic reactivation. Hesperetin, a citrus polyphenolic flavonoid, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, cardiovascular and anti-tumour effects. However, the effects of hesperetin on KSHV replication and KSHV-induced tumorigenesis have not yet been reported. Here, we report that hesperetin induces apoptotic cell death in BCBL-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Hesperetin inhibits KSHV reactivation and reduces the production of progeny virus from KSHV-harbouring cells. We also confirmed that HIF1α promotes the RTA transcriptional activities and lytic cycle-refractory state of KSHV-infected cells. Hesperetin suppresses HIF1α expression to inhibit KSHV lytic reactivation. These results suggest that hesperetin may represent a novel strategy for the treatment of KSHV infection and KSHV-associated lymphomas.

Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor Suppresses the Endogenous Cholesterol Synthesis Pathway To Oppose Gammaherpesvirus Replication in Primary Macrophages

Gammaherpesviruses are ubiquitous pathogens that establish lifelong infections in >95% of adults worldwide and are associated with several cancers. We have shown that endogenous cholesterol synthesis supports gammaherpesvirus replication. However, the role of exogenous cholesterol exchange and signaling during infection remains poorly understood. Extracellular cholesterol is carried in the serum by several lipoproteins, including low-density lipoproteins (LDL). The LDL receptor (LDL-R) mediates the endocytosis of these cholesterol-rich LDL particles into the cell, thereby supplying the cell with cholesterol. We found that LDL-R expression attenuates gammaherpesvirus replication during the early stages of the replication cycle, as evident by increased viral gene expression in LDL-R^-/- primary macrophages. This was not observed in primary fibroblasts, indicating that the antiviral effects of LDL-R are cell type specific. Increased viral gene expression in LDL-R^-/- primary macrophages was due to increased activity of the endogenous cholesterol synthesis pathway. Intriguingly, despite type I interferon-driven increase in LDL-R mRNA levels in infected macrophages, protein levels of LDL-R continually decreased over the single cycle of viral replication. Thus, our study has uncovered an intriguing tug of war between the LDL-R-driven antiviral effect on cholesterol metabolism and the viral targeting of the LDL-R protein. IMPORTANCE LDL-R is a cell surface receptor that mediates the endocytosis of cholesterol-rich low-density lipoproteins, allowing cells to acquire cholesterol exogenously. Several RNA viruses usurp LDL-R function to facilitate replication; however, the role of LDL-R in DNA virus infection remains unknown. Gammaherpesviruses are double-stranded DNA viruses that are associated with several cancers. Here, we show that LDL-R attenuates gammaherpesvirus replication in primary macrophages by decreasing endogenous cholesterol synthesis activity, a pathway known to support gammaherpesvirus replication. In response, LDL-R protein levels are decreased in infected cells to mitigate the antiviral effects, revealing an intriguing tug of war between the virus and the host.

Th2 Cytokine Modulates Herpesvirus Reactivation in a Cell Type Specific Manner

Gammaherpesviruses, such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Kaposi's sarcoma associated virus (KSHV), and murine γ-herpesvirus 68 (MHV68), establish latent infection in B cells, macrophages, and non-lymphoid cells, and can induce both lymphoid and non-lymphoid cancers. Research on these viruses has relied heavily on immortalized B cell and endothelial cell lines. Therefore, we know very little about the cell type specific regulation of virus infection. We have previously shown that treatment of MHV68-infected macrophages with the cytokine interleukin-4 (IL-4) or challenge of MHV68-infected mice with an IL-4-inducing parasite leads to virus reactivation. However, we do not know if all latent reservoirs of the virus, including B cells, reactivate the virus in response to IL-4. Here we used an in vivo approach to address the question of whether all latently infected cell types reactivate MHV68 in response to a particular stimulus. We found that IL-4 receptor expression on macrophages was required for IL-4 to induce virus reactivation, but that it was dispensable on B cells. We further demonstrated that the transcription factor, STAT6, which is downstream of the IL-4 receptor and binds virus gene 50 N4/N5 promoter in macrophages, did not bind to the virus gene 50 N4/N5 promoter in B cells. These data suggest that stimuli that promote herpesvirus reactivation may only affect latent virus in particular cell types, but not in others.Importance Herpesviruses establish life-long quiescent infections in specific cells in the body, and only reactivate to produce infectious virus when precise signals induce them to do so. The signals that induce herpesvirus reactivation are often studied only in one particular cell type infected with the virus. However, herpesviruses establish latency in multiple cell types in their hosts. Using murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV68) and conditional knockout mice, we examined the cell type specificity of a particular reactivation signal, interleukin-4 (IL-4). We found that IL-4 only induced herpesvirus reactivation from macrophages, but not from B cells. This work indicates that regulation of virus latency and reactivation is cell type specific. This has important implications for therapies aimed at either promoting or inhibiting reactivation for the control or elimination of chronic viral infections.

ATM facilitates mouse gammaherpesvirus reactivation from myeloid cells during chronic infection

Gammaherpesviruses are cancer-associated pathogens that establish life-long infection in most adults. Insufficiency of Ataxia-Telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase leads to a poor control of chronic gammaherpesvirus infection via an unknown mechanism that likely involves a suboptimal antiviral response. In contrast to the phenotype in the intact host, ATM facilitates gammaherpesvirus reactivation and replication in vitro. We hypothesized that ATM mediates both pro- and antiviral activities to regulate chronic gammaherpesvirus infection in an immunocompetent host. To test the proposed proviral activity of ATM in vivo, we generated mice with ATM deficiency limited to myeloid cells. Myeloid-specific ATM deficiency attenuated gammaherpesvirus infection during the establishment of viral latency. The results of our study uncover a proviral role of ATM in the context of gammaherpesvirus infection in vivo and support a model where ATM combines pro- and antiviral functions to facilitate both gammaherpesvirus-specific T cell immune response and viral reactivation in vivo.

Helminth infection reactivates latent γ-herpesvirus via cytokine competition at a viral promoter

Mammals are coinfected by multiple pathogens that interact through unknown mechanisms. We found that helminth infection, characterized by the induction of the cytokine interleukin-4 (IL-4) and the activation of the transcription factor Stat6, reactivated murine γ-herpesvirus infection in vivo. IL-4 promoted viral replication and blocked the antiviral effects of interferon-γ (IFNγ) by inducing Stat6 binding to the promoter for an important viral transcriptional transactivator. IL-4 also reactivated human Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus from latency in cultured cells. Exogenous IL-4 plus blockade of IFNγ reactivated latent murine γ-herpesvirus infection in vivo, suggesting a "two-signal" model for viral reactivation. Thus, chronic herpesvirus infection, a component of the mammalian virome, is regulated by the counterpoised actions of multiple cytokines on viral promoters that have evolved to sense host immune status.

Interferon regulatory factor 1 restricts gammaherpesvirus replication in primary immune cells

Gammaherpesviruses are ubiquitous pathogens that establish a lifelong infection and are associated with cancer. In spite of the high seroprevalence of infection, the risk factors that predispose the host toward gammaherpesvirus-induced malignancies are still poorly understood. Interferon (IFN) regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) is a tumor suppressor that is also involved in the regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses. On the basis of its biology, IRF-1 represents a plausible host factor to attenuate gammaherpesvirus infection and tumorigenesis. In this study, we show that IRF-1 restricts gammaherpesvirus replication in primary macrophages, a physiologically relevant immune cell type. In spite of the known role of IRF-1 in stimulating type I IFN expression, induction of a global type I IFN response was similar in IRF-1-deficient and -proficient macrophages during gammaherpesvirus infection. However, IRF-1 was required for optimal expression of cholesterol-25-hydroxylase, a host enzyme that restricted gammaherpesvirus replication in primary macrophages and contributed to the antiviral effects of IRF-1. In summary, the current study provides an insight into the mechanism by which IRF-1 attenuates gammaherpesvirus replication in primary immune cells, a mechanism that is likely to contribute to the antiviral effects of IRF-1 in other virus systems.

IMPORTANCE

Interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) is a transcription factor that regulates innate and adaptive immune responses and functions as a tumor suppressor. IRF-1 restricts the replication of diverse viruses; however, the mechanisms responsible for the antiviral effects of IRF-1 are still poorly understood. Gammaherpesviruses are ubiquitous pathogens that are associated with the induction of several malignancies. Here we show that IRF-1 expression attenuates gammaherpesvirus replication in primary macrophages, in part by increasing expression of cholesterol-25-hydroxylase (CH25H). CH25H and its product, 25-hydroxycholesterol, restrict replication of diverse virus families. Thus, our findings offer an insight into the mechanism by which IRF-1 attenuates the replication of gammaherpesviruses, a mechanism that is likely to be applicable to other virus systems.

Primary macrophages rely on histone deacetylase 1 and 2 expression to induce type I interferon in response to gammaherpesvirus infection

Type I interferon is induced shortly following viral infection and represents a first line of host defense against a majority of viral pathogens. Not surprisingly, both replication and latency of gammaherpesviruses, ubiquitous cancer-associated pathogens, are attenuated by type I interferon, although the mechanism of attenuation remains poorly characterized. Gammaherpesviruses also target histone deacetylases (HDACs), a family of pleiotropic enzymes that modify gene expression and several cell signaling pathways. Specifically, we have previously shown that a conserved gammaherpesvirus protein kinase interacts with HDAC1 and -2 to promote gammaherpesvirus replication in primary macrophages. In the current study, we have used genetic approaches to show that expression of HDAC1 and -2 is critical for induction of a type I interferon response following gammaherpesvirus infection of primary macrophages. Specifically, expression of HDAC1 and -2 was required for phosphorylation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and accumulation of IRF3 at the beta interferon promoter in gammaherpesvirus-infected primary macrophages. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a specific role for HDAC1 and -2 in the induction of type I interferon responses in primary immune cells following virus infection. Furthermore, because HDAC1 and -2 are overexpressed in several types of cancer, our findings illuminate potential side effects of HDAC1- and -2-specific inhibitors that are currently under development as cancer therapy agents. IMPORTANCE Gammaherpesviruses establish chronic infection in a majority of the adult population and are associated with several malignancies. Infected cells counteract gammaherpesvirus infection via innate immune signaling mediated primarily through type I interferon. The induction of type I interferon expression proceeds through several stages using molecular mechanisms that are still incompletely characterized. In this study, we show that expression of HDAC1 and -2 by macrophages is required to mount a type I interferon response to incoming gammaherpesvirus. The involvement of HDAC1 and -2 in the type I interferon response highlights the pleiotropic roles of these enzymes in cellular signaling. Interestingly, HDAC1 and -2 are deregulated in cancer and are attractive targets of new cancer therapies. Due to the ubiquitous and chronic nature of gammaherpesvirus infection, the role of HDAC1 and -2 in the induction of type I interferon responses should be considered during the clinical development of HDAC1- and -2-specific inhibitors.

Mouse gammaherpesvirus-68 infection acts as a rheostat to set the level of type I interferon signaling in primary macrophages

Type I interferon (IFN) is a critical antiviral response of the host. We found that Interferon Regulatory Factor 3 (IRF-3) was responsible for induction of type I IFN following mouse gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV68) infection of primary macrophages. Intriguingly, type I IFN signaling was maintained throughout the entire MHV68 replication cycle, in spite of several known viral IFN antagonists. However, MHV68-infected primary macrophages displayed attenuated responses to exogenous type I IFN, suggesting that MHV68 controls the level of type I IFN signaling that is allowed to occur during replication. Type I IFN receptor and IRF-3 were necessary to attenuate transcription of MHV68 RTA, an immediate early gene critical for replication. Furthermore, higher constitutive activity of RTA promoters was observed in the absence of type I IFN signaling. Our study suggests that MHV68 has preserved the ability to sense type I IFN status of the host in order to limit lytic replication.

A conserved gammaherpesvirus protein kinase targets histone deacetylases 1 and 2 to facilitate viral replication in primary macrophages

Gammaherpesviruses are ubiquitious pathogens that establish lifelong infection and are associated with several malignancies. All gammaherpesviruses encode a conserved protein kinase that facilitates viral replication and chronic infection and thus represents an attractive therapeutic target. In this study, we identify a novel function of gammaherpesvirus protein kinase as a regulator of class I histone deacetylases (HDAC). Mouse gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68)-encoded protein kinase orf36 interacted with HDAC1 and 2 and prevented association of these HDACs with the viral promoter driving expression of RTA, a critical immediate early transcriptional activator. Furthermore, the ability to interact with HDAC1 and 2 was not limited to the MHV68 orf36, as BGLF4, a related viral protein kinase encoded by Epstein-Barr virus, interacted with HDAC1 in vitro. Importantly, targeting of HDAC1 and 2 by orf36 was independent of the kinase's enzymatic activity. Additionally, orf36 expression, but not its enzymatic activity, induced changes in the global deacetylase activity observed in infected primary macrophages. Combined deficiency of HDAC1 and 2 rescued attenuated replication and viral DNA synthesis of the orf36 null MHV68 mutant, indicating that the regulation of HDAC1 and 2 by orf36 was relevant for viral replication. Understanding the mechanism by which orf36 facilitates viral replication, including through HDAC targeting, will facilitate the development of improved therapeutics against gammaherpesvirus kinases.

Ataxia telangiectasia mutated kinase controls chronic gammaherpesvirus infection

Gammaherpesviruses, such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), are ubiquitous cancer-associated pathogens that interact with DNA damage response, a tumor suppressor network. Chronic gammaherpesvirus infection and pathogenesis in a DNA damage response-insufficient host are poorly understood. Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is associated with insufficiency of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM), a critical DNA damage response kinase. A-T patients display a pattern of anti-EBV antibodies suggestive of poorly controlled EBV replication; however, parameters of chronic EBV infection and pathogenesis in the A-T population remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that chronic gammaherpesvirus infection is poorly controlled in an animal model of A-T. Intriguingly, in spite of a global increase in T cell activation and numbers in wild-type (wt) and ATM-deficient mice in response to mouse gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) infection, the generation of an MHV68-specific immune response was altered in the absence of ATM. Our finding that ATM expression is necessary for an optimal adaptive immune response against gammaherpesvirus unveils an important connection between DNA damage response and immune control of chronic gammaherpesvirus infection, a connection that is likely to impact viral pathogenesis in an ATM-insufficient host.

Coordinate regulation of DNA damage and type I interferon responses imposes an antiviral state that attenuates mouse gammaherpesvirus type 68 replication in primary macrophages

DNA damage response (DDR) is a sophisticated cellular network that detects and repairs DNA breaks. Viruses are known to activate the DDR and usurp certain DDR components to facilitate replication. Intriguingly, viruses also inhibit several DDR proteins, suggesting that this cellular network has both proviral and antiviral features, with the nature of the latter still poorly understood. In this study we show that irradiation of primary murine macrophages was associated with enhanced expression of several antiviral interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes (ISGs). ISG induction in irradiated macrophages was dependent on type I IFN signaling, a functional DNA damage sensor complex, and ataxia-telangiectasia mutated kinase. Furthermore, IFN regulatory factor 1 was also required for the optimal expression of antiviral ISGs in irradiated macrophages. Importantly, DDR-mediated activation of type I IFN signaling contributed to increased resistance to mouse gammaherpesvirus 68 replication, suggesting that the coordinate regulation of DDR and type I IFN signaling may have evolved as a component of the innate immune response to virus infections.

Importance of antibody in virus infection and vaccine-mediated protection by a latency-deficient recombinant murine γ-herpesvirus-68

The human γ-herpesviruses EBV and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus establish lifelong latent infections, can reactivate in immunocompromised individuals, and are associated with the development of malignancies. Murine γ-herpesvirus-68 (γHV68), a rodent pathogen related to EBV and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, provides an important model to dissect mechanisms of immune control and investigate vaccine strategies. Infection of mice with γHV68 elicits robust antiviral immunity, and long-term protection from γHV68 reactivation requires both cellular and humoral immune responses. Vaccination of mice with AC-replication and transcription activator (RTA), a highly lytic latency-null recombinant γHV68, results in complete protection from wild-type γHV68 infection that lasts for at least 10 mo. In this report, we examine the immune correlates of AC-RTA-mediated protection and show that sterilizing immunity requires both T cells and Ab. Importantly, Ab was also critical for mitigating viral infection in the brain, and in the absence of Ab-mediated control, amplification of the AC-RTA virus in the brain resulted in fatality. Our results highlight important considerations in the development of vaccination strategies based on live-attenuated viruses.

Dynamic association of gammaherpesvirus DNA with core histone during de novo lytic infection of primary cells

Association of herpesvirus DNA with histones has important implications for lytic and latent infections; thus herpesviruses arbitrate interactions with histones to productively infect host cells. While regulation of alpha and betaherpesvirus chromatin during lytic infection has been actively investigated, very little is known about interaction of gammaherpesvirus DNA with histones upon de novo lytic infection. Murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV68) is a rodent pathogen that offers a tractable system to study gammaherpesvirus lytic infection in primary cells. In this study we report that MHV68 promoter and orilyt sequences underwent dynamic association with histone H3 during de novo lytic infection of primary macrophages and fibroblasts. Similar to HSV-1, the degree of MHV68 DNA association with histone H3 was dependent on the multiplicity of infection and was further regulated by viral DNA synthesis. Our work sets a precedent for future studies of gammaherpesvirus chromatin during de novo lytic infection.

Gammaherpesvirus gene expression and DNA synthesis are facilitated by viral protein kinase and histone variant H2AX

Gammaherpesvirus protein kinases are an attractive therapeutic target as they support lytic replication and latency. Via an unknown mechanism these kinases enhance expression of select viral genes and DNA synthesis. Importantly, the kinase phenotypes have not been examined in primary cell types. Mouse gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV68) protein kinase orf36 activates the DNA damage response (DDR) and facilitates lytic replication in primary macrophages. Significantly, H2AX, a DDR component and putative orf36 substrate, enhances MHV68 replication. Here we report that orf36 facilitated expression of RTA, an immediate early MHV68 gene, and DNA synthesis during de novo infection of primary macrophages. H2AX expression supported efficient RTA transcription and phosphorylated H2AX associated with RTA promoter. Furthermore, viral DNA synthesis was attenuated in H2AX-deficient macrophages, suggesting that the DDR system was exploited throughout the replication cycle. The interactions between a cancer-associated gammaherpesvirus and host tumor suppressor system have important implications for the pathogenesis of gammaherpesvirus infection.

Histone deacetylases and the nuclear receptor corepressor regulate lytic-latent switch gene 50 in murine gammaherpesvirus 68-infected macrophages

Gammaherpesviruses are important oncogenic pathogens that transit between lytic and latent life cycles. Silencing the lytic gene expression program enables the establishment of latency and a lifelong chronic infection of the host. In murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68, γHV68), essential lytic switch gene 50 controls the interchange between lytic and latent gene expression programs. However, negative regulators of gene 50 expression remain largely undefined. We report that the MHV68 lytic cycle is silenced in infected macrophages but not fibroblasts and that histone deacetylases (HDACs) mediate silencing. The HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) acts on the gene 50 promoter to induce lytic replication of MHV68. HDAC3, HDAC4, and the nuclear receptor corepressor (NCoR) are required for efficient silencing of gene 50 expression. NCoR is critical for transcriptional repression of cellular genes by unliganded nuclear receptors. Retinoic acid, a known ligand for the NCoR complex, derepresses gene 50 expression and enhances MHV68 lytic replication. Moreover, HDAC3, HDAC4, and NCoR act on the gene 50 promoter and are recruited to this promoter in a retinoic acid-responsive manner. We provide the first example of NCoR-mediated, HDAC-dependent regulation of viral gene expression.

A gammaherpesvirus complement regulatory protein promotes initiation of infection by activation of protein kinase Akt/PKB

Background

Viruses have evolved to evade the host's complement system. The open reading frames 4 (ORF4) of gammaherpesviruses encode homologs of regulators of complement activation (RCA) proteins, which inhibit complement activation at the level of C3 and C4 deposition. Besides complement regulation, these proteins are involved in heparan sulfate and glycosaminoglycan binding, and in case of MHV-68, also in viral DNA synthesis in macrophages.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Here, we made use of MHV-68 to study the role of ORF4 during infection of fibroblasts. While attachment and penetration of virions lacking the RCA protein were not affected, we observed a delayed delivery of the viral genome to the nucleus of infected cells. Analysis of the phosphorylation status of a variety of kinases revealed a significant reduction in phosphorylation of the protein kinase Akt in cells infected with ORF4 mutant virus, when compared to cells infected with wt virus. Consistent with a role of Akt activation in initial stages of infection, inhibition of Akt signaling in wt virus infected cells resulted in a phenotype resembling the phenotype of the ORF4 mutant virus, and activation of Akt by addition of insulin partially reversed the phenotype of the ORF4 mutant virus. Importantly, the homologous ORF4 of KSHV was able to rescue the phenotype of the MHV-68 ORF4 mutant, indicating that ORF4 is functionally conserved and that ORF4 of KSHV might have a similar function in infection initiation.

Conclusions/Significance

In summary, our studies demonstrate that ORF4 contributes to efficient infection by activation of the protein kinase Akt and thus reveal a novel function of a gammaherpesvirus RCA protein.