1
|
Mosaheb MM, Brown MC, Dobrikova EY, Dobrikov MI, Gromeier M. Harnessing virus tropism for dendritic cells for vaccine design. Curr Opin Virol 2020; 44:73-80. [PMID: 32771959 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2020.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) are pivotal stimulators of T cell responses. They provide essential signals (epitope presentation, proinflammatory cytokines, co-stimulation) to T cells and prime adaptive immunity. Therefore, they are paramount to immunization strategies geared to generate T cell immunity. The inflammatory signals DCs respond to, classically occur in the context of acute virus infection. Yet, enlisting viruses for engaging DCs is hampered by their penchant for targeting DCs with sophisticated immune evasive and suppressive ploys. In this review, we discuss our work on devising vectors based on a recombinant polio:rhinovirus chimera for effectively targeting and engaging DCs. We are juxtaposing this approach with commonly used, recently studied dsDNA virus vector platforms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mubeen M Mosaheb
- Departments of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology and Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical School, MSRB1 Room 423, Box 3020 Durham, NC 27710, United States
| | - Michael C Brown
- Departments of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology and Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical School, MSRB1 Room 423, Box 3020 Durham, NC 27710, United States
| | - Elena Y Dobrikova
- Departments of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology and Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical School, MSRB1 Room 423, Box 3020 Durham, NC 27710, United States
| | - Mikhail I Dobrikov
- Departments of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology and Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical School, MSRB1 Room 423, Box 3020 Durham, NC 27710, United States
| | - Matthias Gromeier
- Departments of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology and Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical School, MSRB1 Room 423, Box 3020 Durham, NC 27710, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hearn C, Preeyanon L, Hunt HD, York IA. An MHC class I immune evasion gene of Marek׳s disease virus. Virology 2014; 475:88-95. [PMID: 25462349 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2014.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Revised: 10/30/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Marek׳s disease virus (MDV) is a widespread α-herpesvirus of chickens that causes T cell tumors. Acute, but not latent, MDV infection has previously been shown to lead to downregulation of cell-surface MHC class I (Virology 282:198-205 (2001)), but the gene(s) involved have not been identified. Here we demonstrate that an MDV gene, MDV012, is capable of reducing surface expression of MHC class I on chicken cells. Co-expression of an MHC class I-binding peptide targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum (bypassing the requirement for the TAP peptide transporter) partially rescued MHC class I expression in the presence of MDV012, suggesting that MDV012 is a TAP-blocking MHC class I immune evasion protein. This is the first unique non-mammalian MHC class I immune evasion gene identified, and suggests that α-herpesviruses have conserved this function for at least 100 million years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cari Hearn
- Department of Comparative Medicine & Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Likit Preeyanon
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Henry D Hunt
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory, 4279 East Mount Hope Road, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | - Ian A York
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Saeed M, Shiina M, Date T, Akazawa D, Watanabe N, Murayama A, Suzuki T, Watanabe H, Hiraga N, Imamura M, Chayama K, Choi Y, Krawczynski K, Liang TJ, Wakita T, Kato T. In vivo adaptation of hepatitis C virus in chimpanzees for efficient virus production and evasion of apoptosis. Hepatology 2011; 54:425-33. [PMID: 21538444 PMCID: PMC3145027 DOI: 10.1002/hep.24399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2010] [Accepted: 04/18/2011] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Hepatitis C virus (HCV) employs various strategies to establish persistent infection that can cause chronic liver disease. Our previous study showed that both the original patient serum from which the HCV JFH-1 strain was isolated and the cell culture-generated JFH-1 virus (JFH-1cc) established infection in chimpanzees, and that infected JFH-1 strains accumulated mutations after passage through chimpanzees. The aim of this study was to compare the in vitro characteristics of JFH-1 strains emerged in each chimpanzee at early and late stages of infection, as it could provide an insight into the phenomenon of viral persistence. We generated full-genome JFH-1 constructs with the mutations detected in patient serum-infected (JFH-1/S1 and S2) and JFH-1cc-infected (JFH-1/C) chimpanzees, and assessed their effect on replication, infectious virus production, and regulation of apoptosis in cell culture. The extracellular HCV core antigen secreted from JFH-1/S1-, S2-, and C-transfected HuH-7 cells was 2.5, 8.9, and 2.1 times higher than that from JFH-1 wild-type (JFH-1/wt) transfected cells, respectively. Single cycle virus production assay with a CD81-negative cell line revealed that the strain JFH-1/S2, isolated from the patient serum-infected chimpanzee at a later time point of infection, showed lower replication and higher capacity to assemble infectious virus particles. This strain also showed productive infection in human hepatocyte-transplanted mice. Furthermore, the cells harboring this strain displayed lower susceptibility to the apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor α or Fas ligand compared with the cells replicating JFH-1/wt. CONCLUSION The ability of lower replication, higher virus production, and less susceptibility to cytokine-induced apoptosis may be important for prolonged infection in vivo. Such control of viral functions by specific mutations may be a key strategy for establishing persistent infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohsan Saeed
- Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
- Department of Infection and Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Masaaki Shiina
- Division of Gastroenterology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8574, Japan
| | - Tomoko Date
- Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Daisuke Akazawa
- Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Watanabe
- Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Asako Murayama
- Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Tetsuro Suzuki
- Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Haruo Watanabe
- Department of Infection and Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Nobuhiko Hiraga
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Division of Frontier Medical Science, Programs for Biomedical Research, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Michio Imamura
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Division of Frontier Medical Science, Programs for Biomedical Research, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Chayama
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Division of Frontier Medical Science, Programs for Biomedical Research, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Youkyung Choi
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Krzysztof Krawczynski
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - T. Jake Liang
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Takaji Wakita
- Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Takanobu Kato
- Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Barton E, Mandal P, Speck SH. Pathogenesis and host control of gammaherpesviruses: lessons from the mouse. Annu Rev Immunol 2011; 29:351-97. [PMID: 21219186 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-immunol-072710-081639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Gammaherpesviruses are lymphotropic viruses that are associated with the development of lymphoproliferative diseases, lymphomas, as well as other nonlymphoid cancers. Most known gammaherpesviruses establish latency in B lymphocytes. Research on Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68/γHV68/MHV4) has revealed a complex relationship between virus latency and the stage of B cell differentiation. Available data support a model in which gammaherpesvirus infection drives B cell proliferation and differentiation. In general, the characterized gammaherpesviruses exhibit a very narrow host tropism, which has severely limited studies on the human gammaherpesviruses EBV and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. As such, there has been significant interest in developing animal models in which the pathogenesis of gammaherpesviruses can be characterized. MHV68 represents a unique model to define the effects of chronic viral infection on the antiviral immune response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erik Barton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhou F. Molecular mechanisms of viral immune evasion proteins to inhibit MHC class I antigen processing and presentation. Int Rev Immunol 2009; 28:376-93. [PMID: 19811316 DOI: 10.1080/08830180903013034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Viral products inhibit MHC class I antigen processing and presentation via three major pathways: inhibition of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I expression on cells, blockade of peptide trafficking and loading on MHC class I molecules, and inhibition of peptide generation in host cells. Viral products also interfere with IFN-gamma -mediated JAK/STAT signal transduction in cells. These results imply that viral proteins probably inhibit the function of IFN-gamma in MHC class I antigen presentation via inactivation of JAK/STAT signal transduction in host cells. Mechanisms of viral products to inhibit IFN-gamma -mediated MHC class I antigen presentation were summarized in this literature review.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fang Zhou
- University of Queensland Diamantina Institute for Cancer Immunology and Metabolic Medicine, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane QLD 4102, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Milho R, Smith CM, Marques S, Alenquer M, May JS, Gillet L, Gaspar M, Efstathiou S, Simas JP, Stevenson PG. In vivo imaging of murid herpesvirus-4 infection. J Gen Virol 2009; 90:21-32. [PMID: 19088269 PMCID: PMC2885022 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.006569-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2008] [Accepted: 10/06/2008] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Luciferase-based imaging allows a global view of microbial pathogenesis. We applied this technique to gammaherpesvirus infection by inserting a luciferase expression cassette into the genome of murine herpesvirus-4 (MuHV-4). The recombinant virus strongly expressed luciferase in lytically infected cells without significant attenuation. We used it to compare different routes of virus inoculation. After intranasal infection of anaesthetized mice, luciferase was expressed in the nose and lungs for 7-10 days and in lymphoid tissue, most consistently the superficial cervical lymph nodes, for up to 30 days. Gastrointestinal infection was not observed. Intraperitoneal infection was very different to intranasal, with strong luciferase expression in the liver, kidneys, intestines, reproductive tract and spleen, but none in the nose or lungs. The nose has not previously been identified as a site of MuHV-4 infection. After intranasal infection of non-anaesthetized mice, it was the only site of non-lymphoid luciferase expression. Nevertheless, lymphoid colonization and persistence were still established, even at low inoculation doses. In contrast, virus delivered orally was very poorly infectious. Inoculation route therefore had a major impact on pathogenesis. Low dose intranasal infection without anaesthesia seems most likely to mimic natural transmission, and may therefore be particularly informative about normal viral gene functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Milho
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Sofia Marques
- Instituto de Microbiologia e Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Marta Alenquer
- Instituto de Microbiologia e Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Janet S. May
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Laurent Gillet
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Miguel Gaspar
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Stacey Efstathiou
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - J. Pedro Simas
- Instituto de Microbiologia e Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Gillet L, Colaco S, Stevenson PG. The Murid Herpesvirus-4 gL regulates an entry-associated conformation change in gH. PLoS One 2008; 3:e2811. [PMID: 18665235 PMCID: PMC2481400 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2008] [Accepted: 07/02/2008] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The glycoprotein H (gH)/gL heterodimer is crucial for herpesvirus membrane fusion. Yet how it functions is not well understood. The Murid Herpesvirus-4 gH, like that of other herpesviruses, adopts its normal virion conformation by associating with gL. However, gH switched back to a gL-independent conformation after virion endocytosis. This switch coincided with a conformation switch in gB and with capsid release. Virions lacking gL constitutively expressed the down-stream form of gH, prematurely switched gB to its down-stream form, and showed premature capsid release with poor infectivity. These data argue that gL plays a key role in regulating a gH and gB functional switch from cell binding to membrane fusion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Gillet
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Susanna Colaco
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Philip G. Stevenson
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
May JS, Smith CM, Gill MB, Stevenson PG. An essential role for the proximal but not the distal cytoplasmic tail of glycoprotein M in murid herpesvirus 4 infection. PLoS One 2008; 3:e2131. [PMID: 18461133 PMCID: PMC2329910 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2008] [Accepted: 03/31/2008] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Murid herpesvirus-4 (MuHV-4) provides a tractable model with which to define common, conserved features of gamma-herpesvirus biology. The multi-membrane spanning glycoprotein M (gM) is one of only 4 glycoproteins that are essential for MuHV-4 lytic replication. gM binds to gN and is thought to function mainly secondary envelopment and virion egress, for which several predicted trafficking motifs in its C-terminal cytoplasmic tail could be important. We tested the contribution of the gM cytoplasmic tail to MuHV-4 lytic replication by making recombinant viruses with varying C-terminal deletions. Removing an acidic cluster and a distal YXXΦ motif altered the capsid distribution somewhat in infected cells but had little effect on virus replication, either in vitro or in vivo. In contrast, removing a proximal YXXΦ motif as well completely prevented productive replication. gM was still expressed, but unlike its longer forms showed only limited colocalization with co-transfected gN, and in the context of whole virus appeared to support gN expression less well. We conclude that some elements of the gM cytoplasmic tail are dispensible for MuHV-4 replication, but the tail as a whole is not.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janet S May
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Guggemoos S, Hangel D, Hamm S, Heit A, Bauer S, Adler H. TLR9 contributes to antiviral immunity during gammaherpesvirus infection. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2008; 180:438-43. [PMID: 18097045 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.180.1.438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The human gammaherpesviruses Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus and EBV cause important infections. As pathogenetic studies of the human infections are restricted, murine gammaherpesvirus 68 serves as a model to study gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis. TLRs are a conserved family of receptors detecting microbial molecular patterns. Among the TLRs, TLR9 recognizes unmethylated CpG DNA motifs present in bacterial and viral DNA. The aim of this study was to assess the role of TLR9 in gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis. Upon stimulation with murine gammaherpesvirus 68, Flt3L-cultured bone marrow cells (dendritic cells) from TLR9-/- mice secreted reduced levels of IL-12, IFN-alpha, and IL-6, when compared with dendritic cells from wild-type mice. Intranasal infection of TLR9-/- and wild-type mice did not reveal any differences during lytic and latent infection. In contrast, when infected i.p., TLR9-/- mice showed markedly higher viral loads both during lytic and latent infection. Thus, we show for the first time that TLR9 is involved in gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis and contributes to organ-specific immunity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Guggemoos
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, Clinical Cooperation Group Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, GSF-National Research Center for Environment and Health, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
El-Gogo S, Staib C, Lasarte JJ, Sutter G, Adler H. Protective vaccination with hepatitis C virus NS3 but not core antigen in a novel mouse challenge model. J Gene Med 2008; 10:177-86. [DOI: 10.1002/jgm.1144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
|
11
|
Rosa GT, Gillet L, Smith CM, de Lima BD, Stevenson PG. IgG fc receptors provide an alternative infection route for murine gamma-herpesvirus-68. PLoS One 2007; 2:e560. [PMID: 17593961 PMCID: PMC1891442 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0000560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2007] [Accepted: 05/30/2007] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Herpesviruses can be neutralized in vitro but remain infectious in immune hosts. One difference between these settings is the availability of immunoglobulin Fc receptors. The question therefore arises whether a herpesvirus exposed to apparently neutralizing antibody can still infect Fc receptor+ cells. Principal Findings Immune sera blocked murine gamma-herpesvirus-68 (MHV-68) infection of fibroblasts, but failed to block and even enhanced its infection of macrophages and dendritic cells. Viral glycoprotein-specific monoclonal antibodies also enhanced infection. MHV-68 appeared to be predominantly latent in macrophages regardless of whether Fc receptors were engaged, but the infection was not abortive and new virus production soon overwhelmed infected cultures. Lytically infected macrophages down-regulated MHC class I-restricted antigen presentation, endocytosis and their response to LPS. Conclusions IgG Fc receptors limit the neutralization of gamma-herpesviruses such as MHV-68.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology
- Antigen Presentation
- Cells, Cultured
- Cytomegalovirus/genetics
- DNA, Viral/genetics
- Fibroblasts/immunology
- Fibroblasts/metabolism
- Fibroblasts/pathology
- Flow Cytometry
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique
- Glycoproteins/immunology
- Green Fluorescent Proteins/metabolism
- Herpesviridae Infections/immunology
- Herpesviridae Infections/metabolism
- Herpesviridae Infections/pathology
- Immediate-Early Proteins/genetics
- Macrophages, Peritoneal/immunology
- Macrophages, Peritoneal/metabolism
- Macrophages, Peritoneal/pathology
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Neutralization Tests
- Promoter Regions, Genetic/genetics
- Receptors, Fc/immunology
- Receptors, IgG/immunology
- Rhadinovirus/immunology
- Tumor Virus Infections/immunology
- Tumor Virus Infections/metabolism
- Tumor Virus Infections/pathology
- Virion/immunology
- Virus Replication
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo T. Rosa
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Laurent Gillet
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher M. Smith
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Brigitte D. de Lima
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Philip G. Stevenson
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Hair JR, Lyons PA, Smith KGC, Efstathiou S. Control of Rta expression critically determines transcription of viral and cellular genes following gammaherpesvirus infection. J Gen Virol 2007; 88:1689-1697. [PMID: 17485528 PMCID: PMC2884955 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.82548-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2006] [Accepted: 02/02/2007] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The replication and transcriptional activator (Rta), encoded by ORF50 of gammaherpesviruses, initiates the lytic cycle of gene expression; therefore understanding the impact of Rta on viral and cellular gene expression is key to elucidating the transcriptional events governing productive infection and reactivation from latency. To this end, the impact of altering Rta transcription on viral and cellular gene expression was studied in the context of a whole virus infection. Recombinant murine gammaherpesvirus (MHV)-68 engineered to overexpress Rta greatly accelerated expression of specific lytic cycle ORFs, but repressed transcription of the major latency gene, ORF73. Increased expression of Rta accelerated the dysregulation in transcription of specific cellular genes when compared with cells infected with wild-type and revertant viruses. A subset of cellular genes was dysregulated only in cells infected with Rta-overexpressing virus, and never in those infected with non-overexpressing viruses. These data highlight the critical role of Rta abundance in governing viral and cellular gene transcription, and demonstrate the importance of understanding how the relative expression of ORF50 during the virus life cycle impacts on these processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James R Hair
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research and the Department of Medicine, Wellcome Trust/MRC Building, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2XY, UK
| | - Paul A Lyons
- Juvenile Diabetes Foundation/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research and the Department of Medicine, Wellcome Trust/MRC Building, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2XY, UK
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research and the Department of Medicine, Wellcome Trust/MRC Building, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2XY, UK
| | - Kenneth G C Smith
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research and the Department of Medicine, Wellcome Trust/MRC Building, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2XY, UK
| | - Stacey Efstathiou
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
El-Gogo S, Staib C, Meyr M, Erfle V, Sutter G, Adler H. Recombinant murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) as challenge virus to test efficacy of vaccination against chronic virus infections in the mouse model. Vaccine 2007; 25:3934-45. [PMID: 17433507 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2007.02.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2006] [Revised: 01/19/2007] [Accepted: 02/20/2007] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Efficient vaccines against AIDS, Hepatitis C and other persistent virus infections are urgently needed. Vaccine development has been especially hampered by the lack of suitable small animal models to reliably test the protective capacity of candidate vaccines against such chronic viral infections. A natural mouse pathogen such as MHV-68 that persists lifelong after infection, appears to be a particularly promising candidate for a more relevant model system. Here, we investigated infections with recombinant MHV-68 as novel mouse challenge model to test the efficacy of heterologous vaccines based on recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA). To apply ovalbumin (OVA) as a model antigen, we constructed the recombinant virus MHV-68-OVA by BAC technology and characterized genetic stability and replicative capacity of the virus in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrated the ability of MHV-68-OVA to produce ovalbumin upon tissue culture infection. Moreover, the use of MHV-68-OVA-infected target cells allowed for efficient ex vivo amplification of OVA-specific, MHC class I-restricted CD8 T cells derived from MVA-OVA-vaccinated C57BL/6 mice. Finally, we immunized C57BL/6 mice with MVA-OVA and challenged the animals with MHV-68-OVA testing different time points and routes of infection. Vaccinated mice were infected with MHV-68-OVA but showed reduced viral loads in the acute and latent phase of challenge infection. These data strongly suggest the usefulness of the MHV-68 challenge model for further evaluation of recombinant vaccines against persisting virus infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne El-Gogo
- Institute of Virology, Technical University München, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Smith CM, Rosa GTL, May JS, Bennett NJ, Mount AM, Belz GT, Stevenson PG. CD4+ T cells specific for a model latency-associated antigen fail to control a gammaherpesvirusin vivo. Eur J Immunol 2006; 36:3186-97. [PMID: 17109468 DOI: 10.1002/eji.200636164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
CD4(+) T cells play a major role in containing herpesvirus infections. However, their cellular targets remain poorly defined. In vitro CD4(+) T cells have been reported to kill B cells that harbor a latent gammaherpesvirus. We used the B cell-tropic murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV-68) to test whether this also occurred in vivo. MHV-68 that expressed cytoplasmic ovalbumin (OVA) in tandem with its episome maintenance protein, ORF73, stimulated CD8(+) T cells specific for the H2-K(b)-restricted OVA epitope SIINFEKL and was rapidly eliminated from C57BL/6 (H2(b)) mice. However, the same virus failed to stimulate CD4(+) T cells specific for the I-A(d)/I-A(b)-restricted OVA(323-339) epitope. We overcame any barrier to the MHC class II-restricted presentation of an endogenous epitope by substituting OVA(323-339) for the CLIP peptide of the invariant chain (ORF73-IRES-Ii-OVA), again expressed in tandem with ORF73. This virus presented OVA(323-339) but showed little or no latency deficit in either BALB/c (H2(d)) or C57BL/6 mice. Latent antigen-specific CD4(+) T cells therefore either failed to recognize key virus-infected cell populations in vivo or lacked the effector functions required to control them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Smith
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Gillet L, May JS, Colaco S, Stevenson PG. Glycoprotein L disruption reveals two functional forms of the murine gammaherpesvirus 68 glycoprotein H. J Virol 2006; 81:280-91. [PMID: 17050601 PMCID: PMC1797276 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01616-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The herpesvirus glycoprotein H (gH) and gL associate to form a heterodimer that plays a central role in virus-driven membrane fusion. When archetypal alpha- or betaherpesviruses lack gL, gH misfolds and progeny virions are noninfectious. In order to define the role that gL plays in gamma-2 herpesvirus infections, we disrupted its coding sequence in murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV-68). MHV-68 lacking gL folded gH into a conformation antigenically distinct from the form that normally predominates on infected cells. gL-deficient virions bound less well than the wild type to epithelial cells and fibroblasts. However, they still incorporated gH and remained infectious. The cell-to-cell spread of gL-deficient viruses was remarkably normal, as was infection, dissemination, and latency establishment in vivo. Viral membrane fusion was therefore gL independent. The major function of gL appeared to be allowing gH to participate in cell binding prior to membrane fusion. This function was most important for the entry of MHV-68 virions into fibroblasts and epithelial cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Gillet
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Abstract
The murine gamma-herpesvirus-68 (MHV-68) is a relative of the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) that infects mice. All these gamma-herpesviruses are subject to immune control, but limit the impact of this control through immune evasion. Molecular evasion mechanisms have been described in abundance. However, we can only speculate what EBV and KSHV immune evasion contributes to the viral lifecycle. With MHV-68, we can analyze in vivo the contribution of immunological and virological gene expression to pathogenesis. While the physiology of infection seems quite well conserved between these viruses, the pathologies associated with immune suppression are obviously very different. MHV-68 is therefore more suited to uncovering the basic biology of gamma-herpesvirus infection than to testing disease interventions. Nevertheless, it may make some useful predictions about effective strategies of vaccination and infection control. This review aims to outline our current state of knowledge and to highlight some limitations of the MHV-68 model as it stands, in the hope of stimulating constructive progress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip G Stevenson
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK.
| | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
May JS, de Lima BD, Colaco S, Stevenson PG. Intercellular gamma-herpesvirus dissemination involves co-ordinated intracellular membrane protein transport. Traffic 2005; 6:780-93. [PMID: 16101681 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0854.2005.00316.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The murine gamma-herpesvirus-68 (MHV-68) ORF27 encodes gp48, a type 2 transmembrane glycoprotein that contributes to intercellular viral spread. Gp48 is expressed on the surface of infected cells but is retained intracellularly after transfection. In this study, we show that the multimembrane spanning ORF58 gene product is both necessary and sufficient for gp48 to reach the cell surface. ORF58-deficient MHV-68 expressed ORF27 in normal amounts, but retained it in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Transfected ORF27 also remained in ER, whereas green fluorescent protein-tagged ORF58 localized to the ER and trans-Golgi network. When ORF27 and ORF58 were co-transfected, they formed a protein complex and reached the cell surface. Surprisingly, ORF58 rather than ORF27 mediated cell binding via a small extracellular loop. The heavily glycosylated ORF27 component of the complex may, therefore, act mainly to protect this loop against antibody. The interdependent transport of ORF27 and ORF58 transport ensures that such protection is always present.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janet S May
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Wang X, Connors R, Harris MR, Hansen TH, Lybarger L. Requirements for the selective degradation of endoplasmic reticulum-resident major histocompatibility complex class I proteins by the viral immune evasion molecule mK3. J Virol 2005; 79:4099-108. [PMID: 15767411 PMCID: PMC1061547 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.79.7.4099-4108.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that certain viral proteins co-opt endoplasmic reticulum (ER) degradation pathways to prevent the surface display of major histocompatibility complex class I molecules to the immune system. A novel example of such a molecule is the mK3 protein of gammaherpesvirus 68. mK3 belongs to an extensive family of structurally similar viral and cellular proteins that function as ubiquitin ligases using a conserved RING-CH domain. In the specific case of mK3, it selectively targets the rapid degradation of nascent class I heavy chains in the ER while they are associated with the class I peptide-loading complex (PLC). We present here evidence that the PLC imposes a relative proximity and/or orientation on the RING-CH domain of mK3 that is required for it to specifically target class I molecules for degradation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that full assembly of class I molecules with peptide is not a prerequisite for mK3-mediated degradation. Surprisingly, although the cytosolic tail of class I is required for rapid mK3-mediated degradation, we observed that a class I mutant lacking lysine residues in its cytosolic tail was ubiquitinated and degraded in the presence of mK3 in a manner indistinguishable from wild-type class I molecules. These findings are consistent with a "partial dislocation" model for turnover of ER proteins and define some common features of ER degradation pathways initiated by structurally distinct herpesvirus proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Wang
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Boname JM, May JS, Stevenson PG. Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 open reading frame 11 encodes a nonessential virion component. J Virol 2005; 79:3163-8. [PMID: 15709035 PMCID: PMC548481 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.79.5.3163-3168.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Open reading frame 11 (ORF11) is a conserved gammaherpesvirus gene that remains undefined. We identified the product of murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) ORF11, p43, as a virion component with a predominantly perinuclear distribution in infected cells. MHV-68 lacking p43 grew normally in vitro but showed reduced lytic replication in vivo and a delay in seeding to the spleen. Subsequent latency amplification was normal. Thus, MHV-68 ORF11 encoded a virion component that was important for in vivo lytic replication but dispensable for the establishment of latency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Boname
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Rd., Cambridge CB2 1QP, United Kingdom
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Stewart JP, Silvia OJ, Atkin IMD, Hughes DJ, Ebrahimi B, Adler H. In vivo function of a gammaherpesvirus virion glycoprotein: influence on B-cell infection and mononucleosis. J Virol 2004; 78:10449-59. [PMID: 15367611 PMCID: PMC516434 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.78.19.10449-10459.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2003] [Accepted: 05/19/2004] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The human gammaherpesviruses Epstein-Barr virus and Kaposi Sarcoma-associated herpesvirus both contain a glycoprotein (gp350/220 and K8.1, respectively) that mediates binding to target cells and has been studied in great detail in vitro. However, there is no direct information on the role that these glycoproteins play in pathogenesis in vivo. Infection of mice by murid herpesvirus 4 strain 68 (MHV-68) is an established animal model for gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis and expresses an analogous glycoprotein, gp150. To elucidate the in vivo function of gp150, a recombinant MHV-68 deficient in gp150 production was generated (vgp150Delta). The productive viral replication in vitro and in vivo was largely unaffected by mutation of gp150, aside from a partial defect in the release of extracellular virus. Likewise, B-cell latency was established. However, the transient mononucleosis and spike in latently infected cells associated with the spread of MHV-68 to the spleen was significantly reduced in vgp150Delta-infected mice. A soluble, recombinant gp150 was found to bind specifically to B cells but not to epithelial cells in culture. In addition, gp150-deficient MHV-68 derived from mouse lungs bound less well to spleen cells than wild-type virus. Thus, gp150 is highly similar in function in vitro to the Epstein-Barr virus gp350/220. These results suggest a role for these analogous proteins in mononucleosis and have implications for their use as vaccine antigens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James P Stewart
- Centre for Comparative Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Liverpool, Duncan Building, Daulby St., Liverpool L69 3GA, United Kingdom.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Douglas J, Dutia B, Rhind S, Stewart JP, Talbot SJ. Expression in a recombinant murid herpesvirus 4 reveals the in vivo transforming potential of the K1 open reading frame of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. J Virol 2004; 78:8878-84. [PMID: 15280496 PMCID: PMC479053 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.78.16.8878-8884.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Murid herpesvirus 4 (commonly called MHV-68) is closely related to Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and provides an excellent model system for investigating gammaherpesvirus-associated pathogenesis. MHV-76 is a naturally occurring deletion mutant of MHV-68 that lacks 9,538 bp of the left end of the unique portion of the genome encoding nonessential pathogenesis-related genes. The KSHV K1 protein has been shown to transform rodent fibroblasts in vitro and common marmoset T lymphocytes in vivo. Using homologous recombination techniques, we successfully generated recombinants of MHV-76 that encode green fluorescent protein (MHV76-GFP) and KSHV K1 (MHV76-K1). The replication of MHV76-GFP and MHV76-K1 in cell culture was identical to that of MHV-76. However, infection of BALB/c mice via the intranasal route revealed that MHV76-K1 replicated to a 10-fold higher titer than MHV76-GFP in the lungs at day 5 postinfection (p.i.). We observed type 2 pneumocyte proliferation in areas of consolidation and interstitial inflammation of mice infected with MHV76-K1 at day 10 p.i. MHV76-K1 established a 2- to 3-fold higher latent viral load than MHV76-GFP in the spleens of infected mice on days 10 and 14 p.i., although this was 10-fold lower than that established by wild-type MHV-76. A salivary gland tumor was present in one of four mice infected with MHV76-K1, as well as an increased inflammatory response in the lungs at day 120 p.i. compared with that of mice infected with MHV-76 and MHV76-GFP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jill Douglas
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, University of Edinburgh, Summerhall, Edinburgh EH9 1QH, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Aricò E, Robertson KA, Belardelli F, Ferrantini M, Nash AA. Vaccination with inactivated murine gammaherpesvirus 68 strongly limits viral replication and latency and protects type I IFN receptor knockout mice from a lethal infection. Vaccine 2004; 22:1433-40. [PMID: 15063566 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2003.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2003] [Revised: 10/15/2003] [Accepted: 10/22/2003] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Human gammaherpesviruses such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) cause lifelong infections and associated diseases, including malignancies, and the development of an effective vaccine against this class of viral infections is of considerable interest. The murine herpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) model provides a useful experimental setting to investigate the immune response to gammaherpesvirus infections and to evaluate the efficacy of vaccination strategies. In this study, we tested a heat-inactivated MHV-68 vaccine in immunocompetent mice as well as in B cell-deficient or type I IFN receptor knockout mice. Vaccination with heat-inactivated MHV-68 protected immunocompetent mice from the acute MHV-68 infection in the lung and strongly reduced the expansion of latently infected cells in the spleen and the development of splenomegaly. A similar inhibition of the acute viral replication in the lung was also observed in vaccinated B cell-deficient mice. Of note, the inactivated MHV-68 vaccine completely protected type I IFN receptor knockout mice from the infection with a lethal dose of MHV-68.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Aricò
- Laboratory of Virology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome 00161, Italy.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Boname JM, Coleman HM, May JS, Stevenson PG. Protection against wild-type murine gammaherpesvirus-68 latency by a latency-deficient mutant. J Gen Virol 2004; 85:131-135. [PMID: 14718627 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.19592-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV-68) mutant with deregulated transcription of its ORF50 transactivator was severely impaired in latency establishment. The deregulated virus showed reduced immunogenicity, probably reflecting a lower antigen load. However, it still elicited effective immunity to a subsequent wild-type (WT) virus challenge. Infection was not completely prevented, but was very substantially reduced in extent and the long-term level of WT viral DNA in lungs and spleens remained low. Thus latency-deficient MHV-68 illustrates a possible general approach to creating attenuated gammaherpesvirus vaccines that can protect against pathogenic WT infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Boname
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK
| | - Heather M Coleman
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK
| | - Janet S May
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK
| | - Philip G Stevenson
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Elsawa SF, Bost KL. Murine γ-Herpesvirus-68-Induced IL-12 Contributes to the Control of Latent Viral Burden, but Also Contributes to Viral-Mediated Leukocytosis. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2003; 172:516-24. [PMID: 14688362 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.172.1.516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Early IFN-alpha/beta production, followed by the development of a viral-specific CTL response, are critical factors in limiting the level of murine gamma-herpesvirus-68 (gammaHV-68) infection. Development of a long-lived CTL response requires T cell help, and these CTLs most likely function to limit the extent of infection following reactivation. The importance of IL-12 in the development and/or activity of Th1 cells and CTLs is well documented, and we investigated the kinetics and magnitude of gammaHV-68-induced IL-12 production. Following intranasal infection, IL-12 and IL-23 mRNA expression was up-regulated in lung and spleen and lung, respectively, followed by increased levels of IL-12p40 in lung homogenates and sera. Exposure of cultured macrophages or dendritic cells to gammaHV-68 induced secretion of IL-12, suggesting that these cells might be responsible for IL-12 production in vivo. gammaHV-68 infection of mice made genetically deficient in IL-12p40 expression (IL-12p40(-/-)) resulted in a leukocytosis and splenomegaly that was significantly less than that observed in syngeneic C57BL/6 mice. IL-12p40(-/-) mice showed increased levels of infectious virus in the lung, but only at day 9 postinfection. Increased levels of latent virus in the spleen at day 15 postinfection were also observed in IL-12p40(-/-) mice when compared with syngeneic C57BL/6 mice. An overall reduction in gammaHV-68-induced IFN-gamma production was observed in IL-12p40(-/-) mice, suggesting that most of the viral-induced IFN-gamma in C57BL/6 mice was IL-12 dependent. Taken together, these results suggest that gammaHV-68-induced IL-12 contributes to the pathophysiology of viral infection while also functioning to limit viral burden.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sherine F Elsawa
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|