Interferon action and the double-stranded RNA-dependent enzymes ADAR1 adenosine deaminase and PKR protein kinase

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase I trial of inhalation treatment of recombinant TFF2-IFN protein: A multifunctional candidate for the treatment of COVID-19

Background and Objectives: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused global pandemics in the last 3 years, and the development of new therapeutics is urgently needed. This study aimed to assess the safety, tolerated, and prolonged retention of recombinant protein trefoil factor 2 (TFF2)- interferon (IFN) in the respiratory tract of healthy volunteers. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-dose, dose-escalation phase I study to evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and cytokine responses after administration of recombinant TFF2-IFN proteins. Healthy volunteers were informed, enrolled, and randomized into four groups with a dose escalation of 0.2, 1, 2, and 4 mg and then inhaled the investigation product or placebo. Thirty-two eligible participants were finally enrolled; eight were assigned to the placebo group and 24 to the TFF2-IFN group, with six participants per group. Data were collected from 19 November 2021, to 4 January 2022. Results: All 32 participants completed the study. Of the participants who received the recombinant TFF2-IFN protein, 41.7% (10/24) reported 11 adverse events (AEs) during treatment and 62.5% (5/8) of those who received a placebo reported six AEs. Sixteen of the 17 AEs were grade 1. Only one grade 3 AE occurred in the placebo group and no worse event occurred as a serious adverse event. The pharmacokinetics was analyzed for times and concentrations of the investigation products in 0.2, 1, 2, and 4 mg groups in 24 recipients of TFF2-IFN, and the results showed that TFF2-IFN was retained in the lung for at least 6-8 h. Only the highest dose group (4 mg) had a transient detectable concentration in serum, while all other dose groups had a level below the lower limit of quantification. Conclusion: In this study, the recombinant TFF2-IFN protein was a well-tolerated and safe therapeutic when administered by nebulization, characterized by prolonged retention in the respiratory tract, which would be greatly beneficial in combating respiratory viral infection. Systematic Review Registration: [http://www.chictr.org.cn], identifier [ChiCTR2000035633].

The role of type I interferon in the treatment of COVID-19

Although significant research has been done to find effective drugs against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), no definite effective drug exists. Thus, research has now shifted towards immunomodulatory agents other than antivirals. In this review, we aim to describe the latest findings on the role of type I interferon (IFN)‐mediated innate antiviral response against SARS‐CoV‐2 and discuss the use of IFNs as a medication for COVID‐19. A growing body of evidence has indicated a promoting active but delayed IFNs response to SARS‐CoV‐2 and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in infected bronchial epithelial cells. Studies have demonstrated that IFNs' administration before the viral peak and the inflammatory phase of disease could offer a highly protective effect. However, IFNs' treatment during the inflammatory and severe stages of the disease causes immunopathology and long‐lasting harm for patients. Therefore, it is critical to note the best time window for IFNs' administration. Further investigation of the clinical effectiveness of interferon for patients with mild to severe COVID‐19 and its optimal timing and route of administration can be beneficial in finding a safe and effective antiviral therapy for the COVID‐19 disease.

1‐IFNs have many antiviral actions including; the activation of cytotoxic T‐cell responses, the inhibition of the viral mRNA translation, the degradation of the viral RNA, RNA editing and modulating the synthesis of Nitric Oxide.

2‐IFNS are two‐edged immunomodulatory agents; as they can provide a protective effect if administered in the early phases of the disease before the viral peak, whereas a harming effect is observed when administered in the inflammatory phase.

3‐More human trials are needed to find the best time window for administrating type I IFN for patients with various COVID‐19 modalities.

Endogenous Double-Stranded RNA

The birth of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is closely associated with the presence and activation of repetitive elements in the genome. The transcription of endogenous retroviruses as well as long and short interspersed elements is not only essential for evolving lncRNAs but is also a significant source of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). From an lncRNA-centric point of view, the latter is a minor source of bother in the context of the entire cell; however, dsRNA is an essential threat. A viral infection is associated with cytoplasmic dsRNA, and endogenous RNA hybrids only differ from viral dsRNA by the 5' cap structure. Hence, a multi-layered defense network is in place to protect cells from viral infections but tolerates endogenous dsRNA structures. A first line of defense is established with compartmentalization; whereas endogenous dsRNA is found predominantly confined to the nucleus and the mitochondria, exogenous dsRNA reaches the cytoplasm. Here, various sensor proteins recognize features of dsRNA including the 5' phosphate group of viral RNAs or hybrids with a particular length but not specific nucleotide sequences. The sensors trigger cellular stress pathways and innate immunity via interferon signaling but also induce apoptosis via caspase activation. Because of its central role in viral recognition and immune activation, dsRNA sensing is implicated in autoimmune diseases and used to treat cancer.

Sequencing of serially passaged measles virus affirms its genomic stability and reveals a nonrandom distribution of consensus mutations

Oncolytic virotherapy is an emerging treatment option for numerous cancers, with several virus families currently being evaluated in clinical trials. More specifically, vaccine-strain measles virus has arisen as a promising candidate for the treatment of different tumour types in several early clinical trials. Replicating viruses, and especially RNA viruses without proofreading polymerases, can rapidly adapt to varying environments by selecting quasispecies with advantageous genetic mutations. Subsequently, these genetic alterations could potentially weaken the safety profile of virotherapy. In this study, we demonstrate that, following an extended period of virus replication in producer or cancer cell lines, the quasispecies consensus sequence of vaccine strain-derived measles virus accrues a remarkably small number of mutations throughout the nonsegmented negative-stranded RNA genome. Interestingly, we detected a nonrandom distribution of genetic alterations within the genome, with an overall decreasing frequency of mutations from the 3' genome start to its 5' end. Comparing the serially passaged viruses to the parental virus on producer cells, we found that the acquired consensus mutations did not drastically change viral replication kinetics or cytolytic potency. Collectively, our data corroborate the genomic stability and excellent safety profile of oncolytic measles virus, thus supporting its continued development and clinical translation as a promising viro-immunotherapeutic.

The Ambystoma tigrinum virus (ATV) RNase III gene can modulate host PKR activation and interferon production

The iridovirus RNase III gene is one of 26 conserved core genes among the family Iridoviridae. Initial studies suggest this viral protein functions to suppress RNA interference pathways that may attack viral RNA during infection. Therefore, to determine if the Ambystoma tigrinum virus (ATV) RNase III-like gene (ORF 25R) can modulate the host innate immune response fish and human cells ectopically expressing 25R were treated with polyI:C and monitored for interferon synthesis and phosphorylation of eIF2α and PKR. We found a decrease in cellular IFN production and modulation of the PKR pathway. In addition, ATV deleted of the RNase III gene (ATVΔ25R) shows reduced pathogenicity in tiger salamanders. Collectively our data suggest that the ATV 25R protein is a pathogenesis factor that may function to help evade the host's immune response by masking activators of the IFN pathway.

Ubiquitin-dependent Turnover of Adenosine Deaminase Acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1) Is Required for Efficient Antiviral Activity of Type I Interferon

Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1) catalyzes RNA editing of cellular and viral RNAs. Besides RNA editing, ADAR1 has recently been shown to play important roles in maintaining the body balance, including tissue homoeostasis, organ development, and autoimmune regulations, by inhibiting both IFN production and subsequent IFN-activated pathways. Accordingly, the question was raised how IFN signaling induced by viral infections overcomes the inhibitory effect of constitutively expressed ADAR1 (ADAR1-P110) to execute efficient antiviral activity. Here we unexpectedly found that IFN signaling promoted Lys⁴⁸-linked ubiquitination and degradation of ADAR1-P110. Furthermore, we identified the E3 ligase β transducin repeat-containing protein responsible for IFN-mediated ADAR1-P110 down-regulation. IFN signaling promoted the interaction between β transducin repeat-containing protein and ADAR1-P110 as well as protein turnover of ADAR1-P110. Moreover, we found that both lysine 574 and 576 are essential for ADAR1-P110 ubiquitination. Critically, we demonstrated that down-regulation of ADAR1-P110 is required for IFN signaling to execute efficient antiviral activity during viral infections. These findings renew the understanding of the mechanisms by which IFN signaling acts to achieve antiviral functions and may provide potential targets for IFN-based antiviral therapy.

Effects of social isolation and re-socialization on cognition and ADAR1 (p110) expression in mice

It has been reported that social isolation stress could be a key factor that leads to cognitive deficit for both humans and rodent models. However, detailed mechanisms are not yet clear. ADAR1 (Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA) is an enzyme involved in RNA editing that has a close relation to cognitive function. We have hypothesized that social isolation stress may impact the expression of ADAR1 in the brain of mice with cognitive deficit. To test our hypothesis, we evaluated the cognition ability of mice isolated for different durations (2, 4, and 8 weeks) using object recognition and object location tests; we also measured ADAR1 expression in hippocampus and cortex using immunohistochemistry and western blot. Our study showed that social isolation stress induced spatial and non-spatial cognition deficits of the tested mice. In addition, social isolation significantly increased both the immunoreactivity and protein expression of ADAR1 (p110) in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Furthermore, re-socialization could not only recover the cognition deficits, but also bring ADAR1 (p110) immunoreactivity of hippocampus and frontal cortex, as well as ADAR1 (p110) protein expression of hippocampus back to the normal level for the isolated mice in adolescence. In conclusion, social isolation stress significantly increases ADAR1 (p110) expression in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of the mice with cognitive deficit. This finding may open a window to better understand the reasons (e.g., epigenetic change) that are responsible for social isolation-induced cognitive deficit and help the development of novel therapies for the resulted diseases.

Activation of PKR by short stem-loop RNAs containing single-stranded arms

Protein kinase R (PKR) is a central component of the innate immunity antiviral pathway and is activated by dsRNA. PKR contains a C-terminal kinase domain and two tandem dsRNA binding domains. In the canonical activation model, binding of multiple PKR monomers to dsRNA enhances dimerization of the kinase domain, leading to enzymatic activation. A minimal dsRNA of 30 bp is required for activation. However, short (∼15 bp) stem-loop RNAs containing flanking single-stranded tails (ss-dsRNAs) are capable of activating PKR. Activation was reported to require a 5'-triphosphate. Here, we characterize the structural features of ss-dsRNAs that contribute to activation. We have designed a model ss-dsRNA containing 15-nt single-stranded tails and a 15-bp stem and made systematic truncations of the tail and stem regions. Autophosphorylation assays and analytical ultracentrifugation experiments were used to correlate activation and binding affinity. PKR activation requires both 5'- and 3'-single-stranded tails but the triphosphate is dispensable. Activation potency and binding affinity decrease as the ssRNA tails are truncated and activation is abolished in cases where the binding affinity is strongly reduced. These results indicate that the single-stranded regions bind to PKR and support a model where ss-dsRNA induced dimerization is required but not sufficient to activate the kinase. The length of the duplex regions in several natural RNA activators of PKR is below the minimum of 30 bp required for activation and similar interactions with single-stranded regions may contribute to PKR activation in these cases.

Editing of Cellular Self-RNAs by Adenosine Deaminase ADAR1 Suppresses Innate Immune Stress Responses

Adenosine deaminases acting on double-stranded RNA (ADARs) catalyze the deamination of adenosine (A) to produce inosine (I) in double-stranded (ds) RNA structures, a process known as A-to-I RNA editing. dsRNA is an important trigger of innate immune responses, including interferon (IFN) production and action. We examined the role of A-to-I RNA editing by two ADARs, ADAR1 and ADAR2, in the sensing of self-RNA in the absence of pathogen infection, leading to activation of IFN-induced, RNA-mediated responses in mouse embryo fibroblasts. IFN treatment of Adar1(-/-) cells lacking both the p110 constitutive and p150 IFN-inducible ADAR1 proteins induced formation of stress granules, whereas neither wild-type (WT) nor Adar2(-/-) cells displayed a comparable stress granule response following IFN treatment. Phosphorylation of protein synthesis initiation factor eIF2α at serine 51 was increased in IFN-treated Adar1(-/-) cells but not in either WT or Adar2(-/-) cells following IFN treatment. Analysis by deep sequencing of mouse exonic loci containing A-to-I-editing sites revealed that the majority of editing in mouse embryo fibroblasts was carried out by ADAR1. IFN treatment increased editing in both WT and Adar2(-/-) cells but not in either Adar1(-/-) or Adar1(-/-) (p150) cells or Stat1(-/-) or Stat2(-/-) cells. Hyper-edited sites found in predicted duplex structures showed strand bias of editing for some RNAs. These results implicate ADAR1 p150 as the major A-to-I editor in mouse embryo fibroblasts, acting as a feedback suppressor of innate immune responses otherwise triggered by self-RNAs possessing regions of double-stranded character.

Complex regulation of ADAR-mediated RNA-editing across tissues

Background

RNA-editing is a tightly regulated, and essential cellular process for a properly functioning brain. Dysfunction of A-to-I RNA editing can have catastrophic effects, particularly in the central nervous system. Thus, understanding how the process of RNA-editing is regulated has important implications for human health. However, at present, very little is known about the regulation of editing across tissues, and individuals.

Results

Here we present an analysis of RNA-editing patterns from 9 different tissues harvested from a single mouse. For comparison, we also analyzed data for 5 of these tissues harvested from 15 additional animals. We find that tissue specificity of editing largely reflects differential expression of substrate transcripts across tissues. We identified a surprising enrichment of editing in intronic regions of brain transcripts, that could account for previously reported higher levels of editing in brain. There exists a small but remarkable amount of editing which is tissue-specific, despite comparable expression levels of the edit site across multiple tissues. Expression levels of editing enzymes and their isoforms can explain some, but not all of this variation.

Conclusions

Together, these data suggest a complex regulation of the RNA-editing process beyond transcript expression levels.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-2291-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Regulation of PKR by RNA: formation of active and inactive dimers

PKR is a member of the eIF2α family of protein kinases that inhibit translational initiation in response to stress stimuli and functions as a key mediator of the interferon-induced antiviral response. PKR contains a dsRNA binding domain that binds to duplex regions present in viral RNAs, resulting in kinase activation and autophosphorylation. An emerging theme in the regulation of protein kinases is the allosteric linkage of dimerization and activation. The PKR kinase domain forms a back-to-back parallel dimer that is implicated in activation. We have developed a sensitive homo-Förster resonance energy transfer assay for kinase domain dimerization to directly probe the relationship among RNA binding, activation, and dimerization. In the case of perfect duplex RNAs, dimerization is correlated with activation and dsRNAs containing 30 bp or more efficiently induce kinase domain dimerization and activation. However, more complex duplex RNAs containing a 10-15 bp 2'-O-methyl RNA barrier produce kinase dimers but do not activate. Similarly, inactivating mutations within the PKR dimer interface that disrupt key electrostatic and hydrogen binding interactions fail to abolish dimerization. Our data support a model in which activating RNAs induce formation of a back-to-back parallel PKR kinase dimer whereas nonactivating RNAs either fail to induce dimerization or produce an alternative, inactive dimer configuration, providing an additional mechanism for distinguishing between host and pathogen RNA.

STAT2-dependent induction of RNA adenosine deaminase ADAR1 by type I interferon differs between mouse and human cells in the requirement for STAT1

Expression of adenosine deaminase acting on RNA1 (ADAR1) is driven by alternative promoters. Promoter PA, activated by interferon (IFN), produces transcripts that encode the inducible p150 ADAR1 protein, whereas PB specifies the constitutively expressed p110 protein. We show using Stat1(-/-), Stat2(-/-) and IRF9(-/-) MEFs that induction of ADAR1 p150 occurs by STAT2- and IRF9-dependent signaling that is enhanced by, but not obligatorily dependent upon, STAT1. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrated STAT2 at the PA promoter in IFN-treated Stat1(-/-) cells, whereas IFN-treated wild-type cells showed both STAT1 and STAT2 bound at PA. By contrast, with human 2fTGH cells and mutants U3A or U6A, ADAR1 induction by IFN was dependent upon both STAT1 and STAT2. These results suggest that transcriptional activation of Adar1 by IFN occurs in the absence of STAT1 by a non-canonical STAT2-dependent pathway in mouse but not human cells.

Potential role for snoRNAs in PKR activation during metabolic stress

Protein kinase RNA-activated (PKR) has long been known to be activated by viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) as part of the mammalian immune response. However, in mice PKR is also activated by metabolic stress in the absence of viral infection, and this requires a functional kinase domain, as well as a functional dsRNA-binding domain. The endogenous cellular RNA that potentially leads to PKR activation during metabolic stress is unknown. We investigated this question using mouse embryonic fibroblast cells expressing wild-type PKR (PKRWT) or PKR with a point mutation in each dsRNA-binding motif (PKRRM). Using this system, we identified endogenous RNA that interacts with PKR after induction of metabolic stress by palmitic acid (PA) treatment. Specifically, RIP-Seq analyses showed that the majority of enriched RNAs that interacted with WT PKR (≥twofold, false discovery rate ≤ 5%) were small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs). Immunoprecipitation of PKR in extracts of UV-cross-linked cells, followed by RT-qPCR, confirmed that snoRNAs were enriched in PKRWT samples after PA treatment, but not in the PKRRM samples. We also demonstrated that a subset of identified snoRNAs bind and activate PKR in vitro; the presence of a 5'-triphosphate enhanced PKR activity compared with the activity with a 5'-monophosphate, for some, but not all, snoRNAs. Finally, we demonstrated PKR activation in cells upon snoRNA transfection, supporting our hypothesis that endogenous snoRNAs can activate PKR. Our results suggest an unprecedented and unexpected model whereby snoRNAs play a role in the activation of PKR under metabolic stress.

An RNA editor, adenosine deaminase acting on double-stranded RNA (ADAR1)

Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA1 (ADAR1) catalyzes the C6 deamination of adenosine (A) to produce inosine (I) in regions of RNA with double-stranded (ds) character. This process is known as A-to-I RNA editing. Alternative promoters drive the expression of the Adar1 gene and alternative splicing gives rise to transcripts that encode 2 ADAR1 protein size isoforms. ADAR1 p150 is an interferon (IFN)-inducible dsRNA adenosine deaminase found in the cytoplasm and nucleus, whereas ADAR1 p110 is constitutively expressed and nuclear in localization. Dependent on the duplex structure of the dsRNA substrate, deamination of adenosine by ADAR can be either highly site-selective or nonspecific. A-to-I editing can alter the stability of RNA structures and the coding of RNA as I is read as G instead of A by ribosomes during mRNA translation and by polymerases during RNA replication. A-to-I editing is of broad physiologic significance. Both the production and the action of IFNs, and hence the subsequent interaction of viruses with their hosts, are among the processes affected by A-to-I editing.

Circulating type 1 vaccine-derived poliovirus may evolve under the pressure of adenosine deaminases acting on RNA

Poliovirus, the causative agent of poliomyelitis, is a human enterovirus and member of the Picornaviridae family. An effective live-attenuated poliovirus vaccine strain (Sabin 1) has been developed and has protected humans from polio. However, a few cases of vaccine virulence reversion have been documented in several countries. For instance, circulating type 1 vaccine-derived poliovirus is a highly pathogenic poliovirus that evolved from an avirulent strain, but the mechanism by which vaccine strains undergo reversion remains unclear. In this study, vaccine strains exhibited A to G/U to C and G to A/C to U hypermutations in the reversed evolution of Sabin 1. Furthermore, the mutation ratios of U to C and C to U were higher than those of other mutation types. Dinucleotide editing context was then analyzed. Results showed that A to G and U to C mutations exhibited preferences similar to adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADAR). Hence, ADARs may participate in poliovirus vaccine evolution.

Reovirus-mediated induction of ADAR1 (p150) minimally alters RNA editing patterns in discrete brain regions

Transcripts encoding ADAR1, a double-stranded, RNA-specific adenosine deaminase involved in the adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) editing of mammalian RNAs, can be alternatively spliced to produce an interferon-inducible protein isoform (p150) that is up-regulated in both cell culture and in vivo model systems in response to pathogen or interferon stimulation. In contrast to other tissues, p150 is expressed at extremely low levels in the brain and it is unclear what role, if any, this isoform may play in the innate immune response of the central nervous system (CNS) or whether the extent of editing for RNA substrates critical for CNS function is affected by its induction. To investigate the expression of ADAR1 isoforms in response to viral infection and subsequent alterations in A-to-I editing profiles for endogenous ADAR targets, we used a neurotropic strain of reovirus to infect neonatal mice and quantify A-to-I editing in discrete brain regions using a multiplexed, high-throughput sequencing strategy. While intracranial injection of reovirus resulted in a widespread increase in the expression of ADAR1 (p150) in multiple brain regions and peripheral organs, significant changes in site-specific A-to-I conversion were quite limited, suggesting that steady-state levels of p150 expression are not a primary determinant for modulating the extent of editing for numerous ADAR targets in vivo.

Biased hypermutation occurred frequently in a gene inserted into the IC323 recombinant measles virus during its persistence in the brains of nude mice

Measles virus (MV) is the causative agent of measles and its neurological complications, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) and measles inclusion body encephalitis (MIBE). Biased hypermutation in the M gene is a characteristic feature of SSPE and MIBE. To determine whether the M gene is the preferred target of hypermutation, an additional transcriptional unit containing a humanized Renilla reniformis green fluorescent protein (hrGFP) gene was introduced into the IC323 MV genome, and nude mice were inoculated intracerebrally with the virus. Biased hypermutation occurred in the M gene and also in the hrGFP gene when it was inserted between the leader and the N gene, but not between the H and L gene. These results indicate that biased hypermutation is usually found in a gene whose function is not essential for viral proliferation in the brain and that the location of a gene in the MV genome can affect its mutational frequency.

Induction of stress granules by interferon and down-regulation by the cellular RNA adenosine deaminase ADAR1

Measles virus (MV) deficient in C protein (C(ko)) expression efficiently induces both stress granules (SG) and interferon (IFNβ), whereas isogenic wild-type (WT) and V mutant (V(ko)) viruses do not. We therefore examined the effect of IFNβ pretreatment on SG formation, and the roles played by the IFN-inducible double-stranded (ds) RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) and dsRNA adenosine deaminase (ADAR1). SG formation in ADAR1-sufficient cells infected with WT or V(ko) mutant virus was enhanced by IFN treatment and was PKR-dependent. SG formation in C(ko) virus-infected cells was already high without IFN treatment and was not further enhanced by IFN. IFN treatment alone, in the absence of infection, induced SG formation in ADAR1-deficient but not ADAR1-sufficient cells. Type I IFN-induced enhancement in SG formation occurred by a canonical IFN signaling response dependent upon STAT1 and STAT2. These results further establish ADAR1 as a suppressor of the interferon and SG innate immune responses.

Measles virus C protein impairs production of defective copyback double-stranded viral RNA and activation of protein kinase R

Measles virus (MV) lacking expression of C protein (C(KO)) is a potent activator of the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-dependent protein kinase (PKR), whereas the isogenic parental virus expressing C protein is not. Here, we demonstrate that significant amounts of dsRNA accumulate during C(KO) mutant infection but not following parental virus infection. dsRNA accumulated during late stages of infection and localized with virus replication sites containing N and P proteins. PKR autophosphorylation and stress granule formation correlated with the timing of dsRNA appearance. Phospho-PKR localized to dsRNA-containing structures as revealed by immunofluorescence. Production of dsRNA was sensitive to cycloheximide but resistant to actinomycin D, suggesting that dsRNA is a viral product. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analyses revealed reduced viral RNA synthesis and a steepened transcription gradient in C(KO) virus-infected cells compared to those in parental virus-infected cells. The observed alterations were further reflected in lower viral protein expression levels and reduced C(KO) virus infectious yield. RNA deep sequencing confirmed the viral RNA expression profile differences seen by qPCR between C(KO) mutant and parental viruses. After one subsequent passage of the C(KO) virus, defective interfering RNA (DI-RNA) with a duplex structure was obtained that was not seen with the parental virus. We conclude that in the absence of C protein, the amount of PKR activator RNA, including DI-RNA, is increased, thereby triggering innate immune responses leading to impaired MV growth.

RNA-dependent protein kinase PKR and the Z-DNA binding orthologue PKZ differ in their capacity to mediate initiation factor eIF2α-dependent inhibition of protein synthesis and virus-induced stress granule formation

Protein kinase R (PKR), a regulator of translation in mammalian cells, possesses two ds-RNA binding domains responsible for kinase activation. Protein kinase Z (PKZ), a PKR-like kinase present in fish, possesses two Z-DNA binding domains. A complementation strategy with cells stably deficient in PKR was used to compare the functions of PKR and PKZ. We found reporter expression was inhibited by wildtype (WT) PKR but not by either catalytic (K296R) or RNA-binding (K64E) mutants. PKZ, like PKR, more potently inhibited 5' cap-dependent compared to IRES-dependent reporter expression. However, in contrast to PKR-expressing cells, phosphorylation of initiation factor eIF2α was not detectably increased in PKZ-expressing cells. Furthermore, virus-induced stress granule formation was observed in PKR-deficient cells complemented with WT PKR but not K296R mutant PKR or WT PKZ. These results suggest that PKR and PKZ function by distinguishable mechanisms to modulate host responses including protein synthesis inhibition and stress granule formation.

A survey of host range genes in poxvirus genomes

Poxviruses are widespread pathogens, which display extremely different host ranges. Whereas some poxviruses, including variola virus, display narrow host ranges, others such as cowpox viruses naturally infect a wide range of mammals. The molecular basis for differences in host range are poorly understood but apparently depend on the successful manipulation of the host antiviral response. Some poxvirus genes have been shown to confer host tropism in experimental settings and are thus called host range factors. Identified host range genes include vaccinia virus K1L, K3L, E3L, B5R, C7L and SPI-1, cowpox virus CP77/CHOhr, ectromelia virus p28 and 022, and myxoma virus T2, T4, T5, 11L, 13L, 062R and 063R. These genes encode for ankyrin repeat-containing proteins, tumor necrosis factor receptor II homologs, apoptosis inhibitor T4-related proteins, Bcl-2-related proteins, pyrin domain-containing proteins, cellular serine protease inhibitors (serpins), short complement-like repeats containing proteins, KilA-N/RING domain-containing proteins, as well as inhibitors of the double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase PKR. We conducted a systematic survey for the presence of known host range genes and closely related family members in poxvirus genomes, classified them into subgroups based on their phylogenetic relationship and correlated their presence with the poxvirus phylogeny. Common themes in the evolution of poxvirus host range genes are lineage-specific duplications and multiple independent inactivation events. Our analyses yield new insights into the evolution of poxvirus host range genes. Implications of our findings for poxvirus host range and virulence are discussed.

Interferon-stimulated genes and their antiviral effector functions

Many viruses trigger the type I interferon (IFN) system, leading to the transcription of hundreds of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). The products of these ISGs exert numerous antiviral effector functions, many of which are still not fully described. Recent efforts have been aimed at identifying which ISGs are antiviral and further characterizing their mechanisms of action. IFN effectors vary widely in their magnitude of inhibitory activity and display combinatorial antiviral properties. Collectively, ISGs can target almost any step in a virus life cycle. Some of the most potent antiviral effectors reinforce the system by further inducing IFN or ISGs. Other genes enhance or facilitate viral replication, suggesting that some viruses may have evolved to co-opt IFN effectors for a survival advantage.

Stress granule formation induced by measles virus is protein kinase PKR dependent and impaired by RNA adenosine deaminase ADAR1

ADAR1, an interferon (IFN)-inducible double-stranded (ds) RNA-specific adenosine deaminase, downregulates host innate responses, including activation of the dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) and induction of IFN-β mRNA. Conversely, PKR amplifies IFN-β induction by measles virus (MV) and inhibits virus protein synthesis. Formation of stress granules (SGs), cytoplasmic aggregates of stalled translation complexes and RNA-binding proteins, is a host response to virus infection mediated by translation initiation factor eIF2α phosphorylation. We examined the roles of PKR and ADAR1 in SG formation using HeLa cells stably deficient in either PKR (PKR(kd)) or ADAR1 (ADAR1(kd)) compared to control (CON(kd)) cells. Infection with either wild-type (WT) MV or an isogenic mutant lacking C protein expression (C(ko)) comparably induced formation of SG in ADAR1(kd) cells, whereas only the C(ko) mutant was an efficient inducer in control cells. Both ADAR1 and PKR colocalized with SG following infection. MV-induced; SG formation was PKR dependent but impaired by ADAR1. Complementation of ADAR1(kd) cells by expression of either p150 WT isoform or the p150 Zα (Y177A) Z-DNA-binding mutant of ADAR1 restored suppression of host responses, including SG formation and PKR activation. In contrast, neither the p110 WT isoform nor the p150 catalytic (H910A, E912A) mutant of ADAR1 complemented the ADAR1(kd) phenotype. These results further establish ADAR1 as a suppressor of host innate responses, including activation of PKR and the subsequent SG response.

Analysis of high-affinity binding of protein kinase R to double-stranded RNA

Protein kinase R (PKR) is an interferon-induced kinase that plays a pivotal role in the innate immunity response to viral infection. PKR is activated upon binding to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). Our previous analysis of binding of PKR to dsRNAs ranging from 20 to 40 bp supports a dimerization model for activation in which 30 bp represents the minimal length required to bind two PKR monomers and activate PKR via autophosphorylation. These studies were complicated by the formation of protein-RNA aggregates, particularly at low salt concentrations using longer dsRNAs. Here, we have taken advantage of the enhanced sensitivity afforded using fluorescence-detected analytical ultracentrifugation to reduce the RNA concentrations from micromolar to nanomolar. Under these conditions, we are able to characterize high-affinity binding of PKR to longer dsRNAs in 75 mM NaCl. The PKR binding stoichiometries are increased at lower salt concentrations but remain lower than those previously obtained for the dsRNA binding domain. The dependence of the limiting PKR binding stoichiometries on dsRNA length does not conform to standard models for nonspecific binding and suggests that binding to longer sequences occurs via a different binding mode with a larger site size. Although dimerization plays a key role in the PKR activation mechanism, the ability of shorter dsRNAs to bind two PKR monomers is not sufficient to induce autophosphorylation. We propose that activation of PKR by longer RNAs is correlated with an alternative binding mode in which both of the dsRNA binding motifs contact the RNA, inducing PKR to dimerize via a direct interaction of the kinase domains.

Protein kinase PKR catalytic activity is required for the PKR-dependent activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and amplification of interferon beta induction following virus infection

The protein kinase regulated by RNA (PKR) enhances both activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and the induction of interferon beta (IFN-β) by measles virus defective in C-protein expression (C(ko)). Here we used complementation of human cell lines stably deficient in PKR (PKR(kd)) to probe the basis of these PKR-mediated responses. We found that PKR(kd) HeLa and amnion U cell lines were defective for virus-mediated activation of IFN induction signaling components compared to PKR-sufficient control cells. Complementation of PKR(kd) cells with wildtype PKR, but not with PKR mutants defective in either catalytic activity or dsRNA-binding activity, restored JNK, p38 and ATF-2 phosphorylation and enhanced IFN-β induction following infection. By contrast to mammalian PKR, the Z-DNA binding domain-containing fish homologue of PKR, PKZ, lacked the capacity to enhance C(ko) virus-mediated IFN-β induction. Furthermore, inhibition of virus growth was observed with C(ko)-infected PKR(kd) cells complemented with PKR but not with PKZ.

Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1) suppresses the induction of interferon by measles virus

ADAR1, the interferon (IFN)-inducible adenosine deaminase acting on RNA, catalyzes the C-6 deamination of adenosine (A) to produce inosine (I) in RNA substrates with a double-stranded character. Because double-stranded RNA is a known inducer of IFN, we tested the role of ADAR1 in IFN induction following virus infection. HeLa cells made stably deficient in ADAR1 (ADAR1(kd)) were compared to vector control (CON(kd)) and protein kinase PKR-deficient (PKR(kd)) cells for IFN-β induction following infection with either parental (wild-type [WT]) recombinant Moraten vaccine strain measles virus (MV) or isogenic knockout mutants deficient for either V (V(ko)) or C (C(ko)) protein expression. We observed potent IFN-β transcript induction in ADAR1(kd) cells by all three viruses; in contrast, in ADAR1-sufficient CON(kd) cells, only the C(ko) mutant virus was an effective inducer and the IFN-β RNA induction was amplified by PKR. The enhanced IFN-β transcript-inducing capacity of the WT and V(ko) viruses seen in ADAR1-deficient cells correlated with the enhanced activation of PKR, IFN regulatory factor IRF3, and activator of transcription ATF2, reaching levels similar to those seen in C(ko) virus-infected cells. However, the level of IFN-β protein produced was not proportional to the level of IFN-β RNA but rather correlated inversely with the level of activated PKR. These results suggest that ADAR1 functions as an important suppressor of MV-mediated responses, including the activation of PKR and IRF3 and the induction of IFN-β RNA. Our findings further implicate a balanced interplay between PKR and ADAR1 in modulating IFN-β protein production following virus infection.

ADARs: viruses and innate immunity

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) functions both as a substrate of ADARs and also as a molecular trigger of innate immune responses. ADARs, adenosine deaminases that act on RNA, catalyze the deamination of adenosine (A) to produce inosine (I) in dsRNA. ADARs thereby can destablize RNA structures, because the generated I:U mismatch pairs are less stable than A:U base pairs. Additionally, I is read as G instead of A by ribosomes during translation and by viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases during RNA replication. Members of several virus families have the capacity to produce dsRNA during viral genome transcription and replication. Sequence changes (A-G, and U-C) characteristic of A-I editing can occur during virus growth and persistence. Foreign viral dsRNA also mediates both the induction and the action of interferons. In this chapter our current understanding of the role and significance of ADARs in the context of innate immunity, and as determinants of the outcome of viral infection, will be considered.

The role of PKR/eIF2α signaling pathway in prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

In this study, we investigated whether PKR protein expression is correlated with mRNA levels and also evaluated molecular biomarkers that are associated with PKR, such as phosphorylated PKR (p-PKR) and phosphorylated eIF2α (p-eIF2α).

METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS

We determined the levels of PKR protein expression and mRNA in 36 fresh primary lung tumor tissues by using Western blot analysis and real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), respectively. We used tissue microarrays for immunohistochemical evaluation of the expression of p-PKR and p-eIF2α proteins. We demonstrated that PKR mRNA levels are significantly correlated with PKR protein levels (Spearman's rho = 0.55, p<0.001), suggesting that PKR protein levels in tumor samples are regulated by PKR mRNA. We also observed that the patients with high p-PKR or p-eIF2α expression had a significantly longer median survival than those with little or no p-PKR or p-eIF2α expression (p = 0.03 and p = 0.032, respectively). We further evaluated the prognostic effect of combined expression of p-PKR plus PKR and p-eIF2α plus PKR and found that both combinations were strong independent prognostic markers for overall patient survival on stage I and all stage patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that PKR protein expression may controlled by transcription level. Combined expression levels of PKR and p-PKR or p-eIF2α can be new markers for predicting the prognosis of patients with NSCLC.

West Nile virus infection does not induce PKR activation in rodent cells

dsRNA-activated protein kinase (PKR) is activated by viral dsRNAs and phosphorylates eIF2a reducing translation of host and viral mRNA. Although infection with a chimeric West Nile virus (WNV) efficiently induced PKR and eIF2a phosphorylation, infections with natural lineage 1 or 2 strains did not. Investigation of the mechanism of suppression showed that among the cellular PKR inhibitor proteins tested, only Nck, known to interact with inactive PKR, colocalized and co-immunoprecipitated with PKR in WNV-infected cells and PKR phosphorylation did not increase in infected Nck1,2-/- cells. Several WNV stem-loop RNAs efficiently activated PKR in vitro but not in infected cells. WNV infection did not interfere with intracellular PKR activation by poly(I:C) and similar virus yields were produced by control and PKR-/- cells. The results indicate that PKR phosphorylation is not actively suppressed in WNV-infected cells but that PKR is not activated by the viral dsRNA in infected cells.

Protein kinase PKR and RNA adenosine deaminase ADAR1: new roles for old players as modulators of the interferon response

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) plays a centrally important role in antiviral innate immunity, both for the production of interferon (IFN) and also in the actions of IFN. Among the IFN-inducible gene products are the protein kinase regulated by RNA (PKR) and the adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1). PKR is an established key player in the antiviral actions of IFN, through dsRNA-dependent activation and subsequent phosphorylation of protein synthesis initiation factor eIF2α thereby altering the translational pattern in cells. In addition, PKR plays an important role as a positive effector that amplifies the production of IFN. ADAR1 catalyzes the deamination of adenosine (A) in RNA with double-stranded (ds) character, leading to the destabilization of RNA duplex structures and genetic recoding. By contrast to the antiviral and proapoptotic functions associated with PKR, the actions of ADAR1 in some instances are proviral and cell protective as ADAR1 functions as a suppressor of dsRNA-mediated antiviral responses including activation of PKR and interferon regulatory factor 3.

Heparin activates PKR by inducing dimerization

Protein kinase R (PKR) is an interferon-induced kinase that plays a pivotal role in the innate immunity pathway. PKR is activated to undergo autophosphorylation upon binding to double-stranded RNAs or RNAs that contain duplex regions. Activated PKR phosphorylates the α subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2, thereby inhibiting protein synthesis. PKR is also activated by heparin, a highly sulfated glycosaminoglycan. We have used biophysical methods to define the mechanism of PKR activation by heparin. Heparins as short as hexasaccharide bind strongly to PKR and activate autophosphorylation. In contrast to double-stranded RNA, heparin activates PKR by binding to the kinase domain. Analytical ultracentrifugation measurements support a thermodynamic linkage model where heparin binding allosterically enhances PKR dimerization, thereby activating the kinase. These results indicate that PKR can be activated by small molecules and represents a viable target for the development of novel antiviral agents.

Protein kinase R as mediator of the effects of interferon (IFN) gamma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha on normal and dysplastic hematopoiesis

IFNγ and TNFα are potent inhibitors of hematopoiesis and have been implicated in the pathophysiology of bone marrow failure and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We examined the role of protein kinase R (PKR) in the generation of the inhibitory effects of these myelosuppressive cytokines on hematopoiesis. Our data demonstrate that PKR is rapidly phosphorylated/activated in response to engagement of IFNγ or TNFα receptors in normal human hematopoietic progenitors. Such engagement of PKR is important for the suppressive effects of these cytokines on normal hematopoiesis. Pharmacological targeting of PKR using a specific inhibitor or siRNA-mediated PKR knockdown results in partial reversal of the suppressive effects of IFNγ and TNFα on normal human CD34+-derived myeloid (colony-forming unit-granulocyte-monocytic) and erythroid (burst-forming unit-erythroid) progenitors. Importantly, inhibition of PKR activity or expression increases hematopoietic colony formation from human MDS progenitors, suggesting that drugs that target PKR may provide a novel approach for the treatment of MDS and marrow failure syndromes. Altogether, our data establish that beyond its key role in the induction of IFN-antiviral responses, PKR plays important roles in signaling for IFNγ and other myelosuppressive cytokine receptors as a common mediator of signals for hematopoietic suppression.

Host response to polyomavirus infection is modulated by RNA adenosine deaminase ADAR1 but not by ADAR2

Adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs) catalyze the C-6 deamination of adenosine (A) to produce inosine (I), which behaves as guanine (G), thereby altering base pairing in RNAs with double-stranded character. Two genes, adar1 and adar2, are known to encode enzymatically active ADARs in mammalian cells. Furthermore, two size forms of ADAR1 are expressed by alternative promoter usage, a short (p110) nuclear form that is constitutively made and a long (p150) form that is interferon inducible and present in both the cytoplasm and nucleus. ADAR2 is also a constitutively expressed nuclear protein. Extensive A-to-G substitution has been described in mouse polyomavirus (PyV) RNA isolated late times after infection, suggesting modification by ADAR. To test the role of ADAR in PyV infection, we used genetically null mouse embryo fibroblast cells deficient in either ADAR1 or ADAR2. The single-cycle yields and growth kinetics of PyV were comparable between adar1(-/-) and adar2(-/-) genetic null fibroblast cells. While large T antigen was expressed to higher levels in adar1(-/-) cells than adar2(-/-) cells, less difference was seen in VP1 protein expression levels between the two knockout MEFs. However, virus-induced cell killing was greatly enhanced in PyV-infected adar1(-/-) cells compared to that of adar2(-/-) cells. Complementation with p110 protected cells from PyV-induced cytotoxicity. UV-irradiated PyV did not display any enhanced cytopathic effect in adar1(-/-) cells. Reovirus and vesicular stomatitis virus single-cycle yields were comparable between adar1(-/-) and adar2(-/-) cells, and neither reovirus nor VSV showed enhanced cytotoxicity in adar1(-/-)-infected cells. These results suggest that ADAR1 plays a virus-selective role in the host response to infection.

The use of analytical sedimentation velocity to extract thermodynamic linkage

For 25 years, the Gibbs Conference on Biothermodynamics has focused on the use of thermodynamics to extract information about the mechanism and regulation of biological processes. This includes the determination of equilibrium constants for macromolecular interactions by high precision physical measurements. These approaches further reveal thermodynamic linkages to ligand binding events. Analytical ultracentrifugation has been a fundamental technique in the determination of macromolecular reaction stoichiometry and energetics for 85 years. This approach is highly amenable to the extraction of thermodynamic couplings to small molecule binding in the overall reaction pathway. In the 1980s this approach was extended to the use of sedimentation velocity techniques, primarily by the analysis of tubulin-drug interactions by Na and Timasheff. This transport method necessarily incorporates the complexity of both hydrodynamic and thermodynamic nonideality. The advent of modern computational methods in the last 20 years has subsequently made the analysis of sedimentation velocity data for interacting systems more robust and rigorous. Here we review three examples where sedimentation velocity has been useful at extracting thermodynamic information about reaction stoichiometry and energetics. Approaches to extract linkage to small molecule binding and the influence of hydrodynamic nonideality are emphasized. These methods are shown to also apply to the collection of fluorescence data with the new Aviv FDS.

Analysis of PKR-RNA interactions by sedimentation velocity

PKR is an interferon-induced kinase that plays a pivotal role in the innate immunity pathway for defense against viral infection. PKR is activated to undergo autophosphorylation upon binding to RNAs that contain duplex regions. Some highly structured viral RNAs do not activate and function as PKR inhibitors. In order to define the mechanisms of activation and inhibition of PKR by RNA, it is necessary to characterize the stoichiometries, affinities, and free energy couplings governing the assembly of the relevant complexes. We have found sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation to be particularly useful in the study of PKR-RNA interactions. Here, we describe protocols for designing and analyzing sedimentation velocity experiments that are generally applicable to studies of protein-nucleic acid interactions. Initially, velocity data obtained at multiple protein:RNA ratios are analyzed using the dc/dt method's to define the association model and to test whether the system is kinetically limited. The sedimentation velocity data obtained at multiple loading concentrations are then globally fitted to this model to determine the relevant association constants. The frictional ratios of the complexes are calculated using the fitted sedimentation coefficients to determine whether the hydrodynamic properties are physically reasonable. We demonstrate the utility of this approach using examples from our studies of PKR interactions with simple dsRNAs, the HIV TAR RNA, and the VAI RNA from adenovirus.

Characterization of a ranavirus inhibitor of the antiviral protein kinase PKR

Background

Ranaviruses (family Iridoviridae) are important pathogens of lower vertebrates. However, little is known about how they circumvent the immune response of their hosts. Many ranaviruses contain a predicted protein, designated vIF2α, which shows homology with the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α. In analogy to distantly related proteins found in poxviruses vIF2α might act as an inhibitor of the antiviral protein kinase PKR.

Results

We have characterized the function of vIF2α from Rana catesbeiana virus Z (RCV-Z). Multiple sequence alignments and secondary structure prediction revealed homology of vIF2α with eIF2α throughout the S1-, helical- and C-terminal domains. Genetic and biochemical analyses showed that vIF2α blocked the toxic effects of human and zebrafish PKR in a heterologous yeast system. Rather than complementing eIF2α function, vIF2α acted in a manner comparable to the vaccinia virus (VACV) K3L protein (K3), a pseudosubstrate inhibitor of PKR. Both vIF2α and K3 inhibited human PKR-mediated eIF2α phosphorylation, but not PKR autophosphorylation on Thr446. In contrast the E3L protein (E3), another poxvirus inhibitor of PKR, inhibited both Thr446 and eIF2α Ser51 phosphorylation. Interestingly, phosphorylation of eIF2α by zebrafish PKR was inhibited by vIF2α and E3, but not by K3. Effective inhibition of PKR activity coincided with increased PKR expression levels, indicative of relieved autoinhibition of PKR expression. Experiments with vIF2α deletion constructs, showed that both the N-terminal and helical domains were sufficient for inhibition of PKR, whereas the C-terminal domain was dispensable.

Conclusions

Our results show that RCV-Z vIF2α is a functional inhibitor of human and zebrafish PKR, and probably functions in similar fashion as VACV K3. This constitutes an important step in understanding the interaction of ranaviruses and the host innate immune system.

Use of attenuated paramyxoviruses for cancer therapy

Paramyxoviruses, measles virus (MV), mumps virus (MuV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV), are well known for causing measles and mumps in humans and Newcastle disease in birds. These viruses have been tamed (attenuated) and successfully used as vaccines to immunize their hosts. Remarkably, pathogenic MuV and vaccine strains of MuV, MV and NDV efficiently infect and kill cancer cells and are consequently being investigated as novel cancer therapies (oncolytic virotherapy). Phase I/II clinical trials have shown promise but treatment efficacy needs to be enhanced. Technologies being developed to increase treatment efficacy include: virotherapy in combination with immunosuppressive drugs (cyclophosphamide); retargeting of viruses to specific tumor types or tumor vasculature; using infected cell carriers to protect and deliver the virus to tumors; and genetic manipulation of the virus to increase viral spread and/or express transgenes during viral replication. Transgenes have enabled noninvasive imaging or tracking of viral gene expression and enhancement of tumor destruction.

Alternate rRNA secondary structures as regulators of translation

Structural dynamics of large molecular assemblies are intricately linked to function. For ribosomes, macromolecular changes occur especially during mRNA translation and involve participation of ribosomal RNA. Without suitable probes specific to RNA secondary structure, however, elucidation of more subtle dynamic ribosome structure-function relationships, especially in vivo, remains challenging. Here we report that the Z-DNA- and Z-RNA-binding domain Zα, derived from the human RNA editing enzyme ADAR1-L, binds with high stability to specific rRNA segments of Escherichia coli and human ribosomes. Zα impaired in Z-RNA recognition does not associate with ribosomes. Notably, Zα(ADAR1)-ribosome interaction blocks translation in vitro and in vivo, with substantial physiological consequences. Our study shows that ribosomes can be targeted by a protein that specifically recognizes an alternate rRNA secondary structure, and suggests a new mechanism of translational regulation on the ribosome.

Adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs) are both antiviral and proviral

A-to-I RNA editing, the deamination of adenosine (A) to inosine (I) that occurs in regions of RNA with double-stranded character, is catalyzed by a family of Adenosine Deaminases Acting on RNA (ADARs). In mammals there are three ADAR genes. Two encode proteins that possess demonstrated deaminase activity: ADAR1, which is interferon-inducible, and ADAR2 which is constitutively expressed. ADAR3, by contrast, has not yet been shown to be an active enzyme. The specificity of the ADAR1 and ADAR2 deaminases ranges from highly site-selective to non-selective, dependent on the duplex structure of the substrate RNA. A-to-I editing is a form of nucleotide substitution editing, because I is decoded as guanosine (G) instead of A by ribosomes during translation and by polymerases during RNA-dependent RNA replication. Additionally, A-to-I editing can alter RNA structure stability as I:U mismatches are less stable than A:U base pairs. Both viral and cellular RNAs are edited by ADARs. A-to-I editing is of broad physiologic significance. Among the outcomes of A-to-I editing are biochemical changes that affect how viruses interact with their hosts, changes that can lead to either enhanced or reduced virus growth and persistence depending upon the specific virus.

RNA editing enzyme adenosine deaminase is a restriction factor for controlling measles virus replication that also is required for embryogenesis

Measles virus (MV), a member of the family Paramyxoviridae and an exclusively human pathogen, is among the most infectious viruses. A progressive fatal neurodegenerative complication, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), occurs during persistent MV infection of the CNS and is associated with biased hypermutations of the viral genome. The observed hypermutations of A-to-G are consistent with conversions catalyzed by the adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR1). To evaluate the role of ADAR1 in MV infection, we selectively disrupted expression of the IFN-inducible p150 ADAR1 isoform and found it caused embryonic lethality at embryo day (E) 11-E12. We therefore generated p150-deficient and WT mouse embryo fibroblast (MEF) cells stably expressing the MV receptor signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM or CD150). The p150(-/-) but not WT MEF cells displayed extensive syncytium formation and cytopathic effect (CPE) following infection with MV, consistent with an anti-MV role of the p150 isoform of ADAR1. MV titers were 3 to 4 log higher in p150(-/-) cells compared with WT cells at 21 h postinfection, and restoration of ADAR1 in p150(-/-) cells prevented MV cytopathology. In contrast to infection with MV, p150 disruption had no effect on vesicular stomatitis virus, reovirus, or lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus replication but protected against CPE resulting from infection with Newcastle disease virus, Sendai virus, canine distemper virus, and influenza A virus. Thus, ADAR1 is a restriction factor in the replication of paramyxoviruses and orthomyxoviruses.

Adenosine deaminases acting on RNA, RNA editing, and interferon action

Adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs) catalyze adenosine (A) to inosine (I) editing of RNA that possesses double-stranded (ds) structure. A-to-I RNA editing results in nucleotide substitution, because I is recognized as G instead of A both by ribosomes and by RNA polymerases. A-to-I substitution can also cause dsRNA destabilization, as I:U mismatch base pairs are less stable than A:U base pairs. Three mammalian ADAR genes are known, of which two encode active deaminases (ADAR1 and ADAR2). Alternative promoters together with alternative splicing give rise to two protein size forms of ADAR1: an interferon-inducible ADAR1-p150 deaminase that binds dsRNA and Z-DNA, and a constitutively expressed ADAR1-p110 deaminase. ADAR2, like ADAR1-p110, is constitutively expressed and binds dsRNA. A-to-I editing occurs with both viral and cellular RNAs, and affects a broad range of biological processes. These include virus growth and persistence, apoptosis and embryogenesis, neurotransmitter receptor and ion channel function, pancreatic cell function, and post-transcriptional gene regulation by microRNAs. Biochemical processes that provide a framework for understanding the physiologic changes following ADAR-catalyzed A-to-I ( = G) editing events include mRNA translation by changing codons and hence the amino acid sequence of proteins; pre-mRNA splicing by altering splice site recognition sequences; RNA stability by changing sequences involved in nuclease recognition; genetic stability in the case of RNA virus genomes by changing sequences during viral RNA replication; and RNA-structure-dependent activities such as microRNA production or targeting or protein-RNA interactions.

Double-stranded RNA adenosine deaminase ADAR-1-induced hypermutated genomes among inactivated seasonal influenza and live attenuated measles virus vaccines

We sought to examine ADAR-1 editing of measles and influenza virus genomes derived from inactivated seasonal influenza and live attenuated measles virus vaccines grown on chicken cells as the culture substrate. Using highly sensitive 3DI-PCR (R. Suspène et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 36:e72, 2008), it was possible to show that ADAR-1 could hyperdeaminate adenosine residues in both measles virus and influenza virus A genomes. Detailed analysis of the dinucleotide editing context showed preferences for 5'ArA and 5'UrA, which is typical of editing in mammalian cells. The hyperedited mutant frequency, including genomes and antigenomes, was a log greater for influenza virus compared to measles virus, suggesting a greater sensitivity to restriction by ADAR-1.

Magnesium-dependent interaction of PKR with adenovirus VAI

Protein kinase R (PKR) is an interferon-induced kinase that plays a pivotal role in the innate immunity pathway for defense against viral infection. PKR is activated to undergo autophosphorylation upon binding to RNAs that contain duplex regions. Activated PKR phosphorylates the α-subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2, thereby inhibiting protein synthesis in virus-infected cells. Viruses have evolved diverse PKR-inhibitory strategies to evade the antiviral response. Adenovirus encodes virus-associated RNA I (VAI), a highly structured RNA inhibitor that binds PKR but fails to activate. We have characterized the stoichiometry and affinity of PKR binding to define the mechanism of PKR inhibition by VAI. Sedimentation velocity and isothermal titration calorimetry measurements indicate that PKR interactions with VAI are modulated by Mg(2+). Two PKR monomers bind in the absence of Mg(2+), but a single monomer binds in the presence of divalent ion. Known RNA activators of PKR are capable of binding multiple PKR monomers to allow the kinase domains to come into close proximity and thus enhance dimerization. We propose that VAI acts as an inhibitor of PKR because it binds and sequesters a single PKR in the presence of divalent cation.

Analysis of PKR activation using analytical ultracentrifugation

Protein kinase R (PKR) is a central component of the interferon antiviral defense pathway. Upon binding to dsRNA, PKR undergoes autophosphorylation reactions that activate the kinase, resulting in the inhibition of protein synthesis in virally-infected cells. We have used analytical ultracentrifugation and related biophysical methods to quantitatively characterize the stoichiometries, affinities, and free energy couplings that govern the assembly of the macromolecular complexes in the PKR activation pathway. These studies demonstrate that PKR dimerization play a key role in enzymatic activation and support a model where the role of dsRNA is to bring two or more PKR monomers in close proximity to enhance dimerization.

Analysis of monomeric and dimeric phosphorylated forms of protein kinase R

PKR (protein kinase R) is induced by interferon and is a key component of the innate immunity antiviral pathway. Upon binding double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) or dimerization in the absence of dsRNA, PKR undergoes autophosphorylation at multiple serines and threonines that activate the kinase. Although it has previously been demonstrated that phosphorylation enhances PKR dimerization, gel filtration analysis reveals a second monomeric phosphorylated form. These forms are termed phosphorylated dimeric PKR (pPKRd) and phosphorylated monomeric PKR (pPKRm). These two forms do not reversibly interconvert. Sedimentation equilibrium measurements reveal that pPKRm dimerizes weakly with a K(d) similar to that of unphosphorylated PKR. Isoelectric focusing and mass spectrometry demonstrate that both pPKRm and pPKRd are heterogeneous in their phosphorylation states, with an average of 9 or 10 phosphates. Equilibrium chemical denaturation analysis indicates that phosphorylation destabilizes the kinase domain by approximately 1.5 kcal/mol in the dimeric form but not in the monomeric form. Limited proteolysis also reveals that phosphorylation induces a conformational change in pPKRd that is not detected in pPKRm. pPKRm binds dsRNA with an affinity similar to that of unphosphorylated PKR, whereas binding cannot be detected with pPKRd. Despite these substantial differences in biophysical properties, both pPKRm and pPKRd are catalytically competent and are activated to phosphorylate the PKR substrate eIF2alpha in the absence of dsRNA. Thus, both monomeric and dimeric forms of phosphorylated PKR may participate in the interferon antiviral pathway.

Tipping the balance: antagonism of PKR kinase and ADAR1 deaminase functions by virus gene products

The protein kinase regulated by RNA (PKR) and the adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR1) are interferon-inducible enzymes that play important roles in biologic processes including the antiviral actions of interferons, signal transduction, and apoptosis. PKR catalyzes the RNA-dependent phosphorylation of protein synthesis initiation factor eIF-2 alpha, thereby leading to altered translational patterns in interferon-treated and virus-infected cells. PKR also modulates signal transduction responses, including the induction of interferon. ADAR1 catalyzes the deamination of adenosine (A) to generate inosine (I) in RNAs with double-stranded character. Because I is recognized as G instead of A, A-to-I editing by ADAR1 can lead to genetic recoding and altered RNA structures. The importance of PKR and ADAR1 in innate antiviral immunity is illustrated by a number of viruses that encode either RNA or protein viral gene products that antagonize PKR and ADAR1 enzymatic activity, localization, or stability.