Tetraspanins in infections by human cytomegalo- and papillomaviruses

Bombyx mori Tetraspanin A (BmTsp.A) is a facilitator in BmNPV invasion by regulating apoptosis

BmTsp.A (Bombyx mori Tetraspanin A) is one of the four transmembrane proteins which are capable to regulate multiple aspects of the immune response and are involved in various stages of viral invasion of the hosts. This study focused on the sequence features, analysis of expression pattern, as well as the effect of BmTsp.A on BmNPV (Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus) infection in the apoptotic pathway. BmTsp.A features the typical tetraspanins family, including four transmembrane domains and a major large extracellular loop domain. It is highly expressed specifically in the malpighian tubes, and its expression is increased by BmNPV induction for 48 h and 72 h. Overexpression and RNAi (RNA interference) mediated by siRNA reveal that BmTsp.A can promote the infection and replication of the virus. In addition, the overexpression of BmTsp.A regulates BmNPV-induced apoptosis, leading to changes in the expression of apoptosis-related genes and thus affecting viral proliferation. When subjected to stimulation by BmNPV infection, on the one hand, BmTsp.A inhibits Bmp53 through a Caspase-dependent pathway, which consequently promotes the expression of Bmbuffy, thereby activating BmICE to inhibit apoptosis and causing the promotion of viral proliferation. On the other hand, BmTsp.A inhibits the expression of BmPTEN and BmPkc through the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinaseB(AKT) signaling pathway, thus affecting the regulation of apoptosis. To summarize, our results demonstrate that BmTsp.A promotes viral infection and replication by inhibiting apoptosis, which is fundamental for understanding the pathogenesis of BmNPV and the immune defense mechanism of silkworm.

Tetraspanin-enriched Microdomain Containing CD151, CD9, and TSPAN 8 - Potential Mediators of Entry and Exit Mechanisms in Respiratory Viruses Including SARS-CoV-2

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which originated in Wuhan, the Hubei region of China, has become a pandemic worldwide. It can transmit through droplets and enter via oral, nasal, and eye mucous membranes. It consists of single-stranded RNA (positive-sense), nonstructural proteins including enzymes and transcriptional proteins, and structural proteins such as Spike, Membrane, Envelope, and Nucleocapsid -proteins. SARS-CoV-2 mediates S-proteins entry and exit via binding to host cell surface proteins like tetraspanins. The transmembrane tetraspanins, CD151, CD9, and tetraspanin 8 (TSPAN8), facilitate the entry of novel coronaviruses by scaffolding host cell receptors and proteases. Also, CD151 was reported to increase airway hyperresponsiveness to calcium and nuclear viral export signaling. They may facilitate entry and exit by activating the serine proteases required to prime S-proteins in tetraspanin-enriched microdomains (TEMs). This article updates recent advances in structural proteins, their epitopes and putative receptors, and their regulation by proteases associated with TEMs. This review furnishes recent updates on the role of CD151 in the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2. We describe the role of CD151 in a possible mechanism of entry and exit in the airway, a major site for infection of SARS-CoV-2. We also updated current knowledge on the role of CD9 and TSPAN 8 in the entry and exit mechanism of coronaviruses. Finally, we discussed the importance of some small molecules which target CD151 as possible targeted therapeutics for COVID-19. In conclusion, this study could identify new targets and specific therapeutics to control emerging virus infections.

A genetic screen identifies a protective type III interferon response to Cryptosporidium that requires TLR3 dependent recognition

Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of severe diarrhea and diarrheal-related death in children worldwide. As an obligate intracellular parasite, Cryptosporidium relies on intestinal epithelial cells to provide a niche for its growth and survival, but little is known about the contributions that the infected cell makes to this relationship. Here we conducted a genome wide CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screen to discover host genes that influence Cryptosporidium parvum infection and/or host cell survival. Gene enrichment analysis indicated that the host interferon response, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor biosynthesis are important determinants of susceptibility to C. parvum infection and impact on the viability of host cells in the context of parasite infection. Several of these pathways are linked to parasite attachment and invasion and C-type lectins on the surface of the parasite. Evaluation of transcript and protein induction of innate interferons revealed a pronounced type III interferon response to Cryptosporidium in human cells as well as in mice. Treatment of mice with IFNλ reduced infection burden and protected immunocompromised mice from severe outcomes including death, with effects that required STAT1 signaling in the enterocyte. Initiation of this type III interferon response was dependent on sustained intracellular growth and mediated by the pattern recognition receptor TLR3. We conclude that host cell intrinsic recognition of Cryptosporidium results in IFNλ production critical to early protection against this infection.

HPV16 Entry into Epithelial Cells: Running a Gauntlet

During initial infection, human papillomaviruses (HPV) take an unusual trafficking pathway through their host cell. It begins with a long period on the cell surface, during which the capsid is primed and a virus entry platform is formed. A specific type of clathrin-independent endocytosis and subsequent retrograde trafficking to the trans-Golgi network follow this. Cellular reorganization processes, which take place during mitosis, enable further virus transport and the establishment of infection while evading intrinsic cellular immune defenses. First, the fragmentation of the Golgi allows the release of membrane-encased virions, which are partially protected from cytoplasmic restriction factors. Second, the nuclear envelope breakdown opens the gate for these virus–vesicles to the cell nucleus. Third, the dis- and re-assembly of the PML nuclear bodies leads to the formation of modified virus-associated PML subnuclear structures, enabling viral transcription and replication. While remnants of the major capsid protein L1 and the viral DNA remain in a transport vesicle, the viral capsid protein L2 plays a crucial role during virus entry, as it adopts a membrane-spanning conformation for interaction with various cellular proteins to establish a successful infection. In this review, we follow the oncogenic HPV type 16 during its long journey into the nucleus, and contrast pro- and antiviral processes.

Generation of cd63-deficient zebrafish to analyze the role of cd63 in viral infection

The tetraspanin superfamily proteins are transmembrane proteins identified in a diverse range of eukaryotic organisms. Tetraspanins are involved in a variety of essential biological functions, including cell differentiation, adhesion, migration, signal transduction, intracellular trafficking, and immune responses. For an infection to occur, viruses must interact with various cell surface components, including receptors and signaling molecules. Tetraspanin CD63 is involved in the organization of the cell membrane and trafficking of cellular transmembrane proteins that interact with many viruses. In this study, the cd63 gene was characterized by studying its expression and function in a zebrafish model. The functional domains and structural features of Cd63, such as the Cys-Cys-Gly (CCG) motif in the large extracellular loop and cysteine residues, are conserved in zebrafish. We confirmed that cd63 was expressed in immune system organs, such as the axial vein and pronephric duct, during the embryonic development of zebrafish. To better understand the role of cd63 in the zebrafish immune system, we established cd63-deficient zebrafish lines using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system. A 19 bp insertion mutation was generated in single guide RNA (sgRNA) target sequence of exon 3 of the cd63 gene, to create a pre-mature stop codon. We then analyzed the expression of cd63-related genes cxcr4a and cxcr4b in wild type (WT) and cd63-deficient zebrafish. We believe our study provides an important model that could be used to investigate the roles of cd63 in viral infection in vivo.

Tetraspanins: useful multifunction proteins for the possible design and development of small-molecule therapeutic tools

Tetraspanins constitute a well-conserved superfamily of four-span small membrane proteins (TM4SF), with >30 members in humans, with important roles in numerous mechanisms of cell biology. Moreover, tetraspanins associate with either specific partner proteins or another tetraspanin, generating a network of interactions involved in cell and membrane compartmentalization and having a role in cellular development, proliferation, activation, motility, and membrane fusions. Therefore, tetraspanins are considered regulators of cellular signaling and are often depicted as 'molecular facilitators'. In view of these many physiological functions, it is likely that these molecules are important actors in pathological processes. In this review, we present the main characteristics of this superfamily, providing a more detailed description of some significant representatives and discuss their relevance as potential targets for the design and development of small-molecule therapeutics in different pathologies.

The roles of tetraspanins in bacterial infections

Tetraspanins, a wide family composed of 33 transmembrane proteins, are associated with different types of proteins through which they arbitrate important cellular processes such as fusion, adhesion, invasion, tissue differentiation and immunological responses. Tetraspanins share a comparable structural design, which consists of four hydrophobic transmembrane domains with cytoplasmic and extracellular loops. They cooperate with different proteins, including other tetraspanins, receptors or signalling proteins to compose functional complexes at the cell surface, designated tetraspanin-enriched microdomains (TEM). Increasing evidences establish that tetraspanins are exploited by numerous intracellular pathogens as a doorway for entering and replicating within human cells. Although previous surveys focused mainly on viruses and parasites, it is now becoming clear that bacteria interact with tetraspanins, using TEM as a "gateway" to infection. In this review, we examine the biological functions of tetraspanins that are relevant to bacterial infective procedures and consider the available data that reveal how different bacteria benefit from host cell tetraspanins in infection and in the pathogenesis of diseases. We will also emphasise the stimulating potentials of targeting tetraspanins for preventing bacterial infectious diseases, using specific neutralising antibodies or anti-adhesion peptide-based therapies. Such innovative therapeutic opportunities may deliver alternatives for fighting difficult-to-manage and drug-resistant bacterial pathogens.

HPV caught in the tetraspanin web?

Tetraspanins are master organizers of the cell membrane. Recent evidence suggests that tetraspanins themselves may become crowded by virus particles and that these crowds/aggregates co-internalize with the viral particles. Using microscopy, we studied human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16-dependent aggregates on the cell surface of tetraspanin overexpressing keratinocytes. We find that aggregates are (1) rich in at least two different tetraspanins, (2) three-dimensional architectures extending up to several micrometers into the cell, and (3) decorated intracellularly by filamentous actin. Moreover, in cells not overexpressing tetraspanins, we note that obscurin-like protein 1 (OBSL1), which is thought to be a cytoskeletal adaptor, associates with filamentous actin. We speculate that HPV contact with the cell membrane could trigger the formation of a large tetraspanin web. This web may couple the virus contact site to the intracellular endocytic actin machinery, possibly involving the cytoskeletal adaptor protein OBSL1. Functionally, such a tetraspanin web could serve as a virus entry platform, which is co-internalized with the virus particle.

Tetraspanins in mammalian reproduction: spermatozoa, oocytes and embryos

It is known that tetraspanin proteins are involved in many physiological somatic cell mechanisms. Additionally, research has indicated they also have a role in various infectious diseases and cancers. This review focuses on the molecular interactions underlying the tetraspanin web formation in gametes. Primarily, tetraspanins act in the reproductive tract as organizers of membrane complexes, which include the proteins involved in the contact and association of sperm and oocyte membranes. In addition, recent data shows that tetraspanins are likely to be involved in these processes in a complex way. In mammalian fertilization, an important role is attributed to CD molecules belonging to the tetraspanin superfamily, particularly CD9, CD81, CD151, and also CD63; mostly as part of extracellular vesicles, the significance of which and their potential in reproduction is being intensively investigated. In this article, we reviewed the existing knowledge regarding the expression of tetraspanins CD9, CD81, CD151, and CD63 in mammalian spermatozoa, oocytes, and embryos and their involvement in reproductive processes, including pathological events.

Anatomy of a viral entry platform differentially functionalized by integrins α3 and α6

During cell invasion, human papillomaviruses use large CD151 patches on the cell surface. Here, we studied whether these patches are defined architectures with features for virus binding and/or internalization. Super-resolution microscopy reveals that the patches are assemblies of closely associated nanoclusters of CD151, integrin α3 and integrin α6. Integrin α6 is required for virus attachment and integrin α3 for endocytosis. We propose that CD151 organizes viral entry platforms with different types of integrin clusters for different functionalities. Since numerous viruses use tetraspanin patches, we speculate that this building principle is a blueprint for cell-surface architectures utilized by viral particles.

CD81 is a novel immunotherapeutic target for B cell lymphoma

The anti-CD81 mAb (5A6) eliminates lymphoma tumor cells from patient follicular biopsy specimens while sparing the imbedded normal B and T lymphocytes. It has equivalent therapeutic effects as rituximab against a xenografted human B cell lymphoma.

The tetraspanin CD81 was initially discovered by screening mAbs elicited against a human B cell lymphoma for their direct antiproliferative effects. We now show that 5A6, one of the mAbs that target CD81, has therapeutic potential. This antibody inhibits the growth of B cell lymphoma in a xenograft model as effectively as rituximab, which is a standard treatment for B cell lymphoma. Importantly, unlike rituximab, which depletes normal as well as malignant B cells, 5A6 selectively kills human lymphoma cells from fresh biopsy specimens while sparing the normal lymphoid cells in the tumor microenvironment. The 5A6 antibody showed a good safety profile when administered to a mouse transgenic for human CD81. Taken together, these data provide the rationale for the development of the 5A6 mAb and its humanized derivatives as a novel treatment against B cell lymphoma.

ADAM17-dependent signaling is required for oncogenic human papillomavirus entry platform assembly

Oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPV) are small DNA viruses that infect keratinocytes. After HPV binding to cell surface receptors, a cascade of molecular interactions mediates the infectious cellular internalization of virus particles. Aside from the virus itself, important molecular players involved in virus entry include the tetraspanin CD151 and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). To date, it is unknown how these components are coordinated in space and time. Here, we studied plasma membrane dynamics of CD151 and EGFR and the HPV16 capsid during the early phase of infection. We find that the proteinase ADAM17 activates the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) pathway by the shedding of growth factors which triggers the formation of an endocytic entry platform. Infectious endocytic entry platforms carrying virus particles consist of two-fold larger CD151 domains containing the EGFR. Our finding clearly dissects initial virus binding from ADAM17-dependent assembly of a HPV/CD151/EGFR entry platform.

Inhibition of Tetraspanin Functions Impairs Human Papillomavirus and Cytomegalovirus Infections

Tetraspanins are suggested to regulate the composition of cell membrane components and control intracellular transport, which leaves them vulnerable to utilization by pathogens such as human papillomaviruses (HPV) and cytomegaloviruses (HCMV) to facilitate host cell entry and subsequent infection. In this study, by means of cellular depletion, the cluster of differentiation (CD) tetraspanins CD9, CD63, and CD151 were found to reduce HPV16 infection in HeLa cells by 50 to 80%. Moreover, we tested recombinant proteins or peptides of specific tetraspanin domains on their effect on the most oncogenic HPV type, HPV16, and HCMV. We found that the C-terminal tails of CD63 and CD151 significantly inhibited infections of both HPV16 and HCMV. Although CD9 was newly identified as a key cellular factor for HPV16 infection, the recombinant CD9 C-terminal peptide had no effect on infection. Based on the determined half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀), we classified CD63 and CD151 C-terminal peptides as moderate to potent inhibitors of HPV16 infection in HeLa and HaCaT cells, and in EA.hy926, HFF (human foreskin fibroblast) cells, and HEC-LTT (human endothelial cell-large T antigen and telomerase) cells for HCMV, respectively. These results indicate that HPV16 and HCMV share similar cellular requirements for their entry into host cells and reveal the necessity of the cytoplasmic CD151 and CD63 C-termini in virus infections. Furthermore, this highlights the suitability of these peptides for functional investigation of tetraspanin domains and as inhibitors of pathogen infections.

The Myb-related protein MYPOP is a novel intrinsic host restriction factor of oncogenic human papillomaviruses

The skin represents a physical and chemical barrier against invading pathogens, which is additionally supported by restriction factors that provide intrinsic cellular immunity. These factors detect viruses to block their replication cycle. Here, we uncover the Myb-related transcription factor, partner of profilin (MYPOP) as a novel antiviral protein. It is highly expressed in the epithelium and binds to the minor capsid protein L2 and the DNA of human papillomaviruses (HPV), which are the primary causative agents of cervical cancer and other tumors. The early promoter activity and early gene expression of the oncogenic HPV types 16 and 18 is potently silenced by MYPOP. Cellular MYPOP-depletion relieves the restriction of HPV16 infection, demonstrating that MYPOP acts as a restriction factor. Interestingly, we found that MYPOP protein levels are significantly reduced in diverse HPV-transformed cell lines and in HPV-induced cervical cancer. Decades ago it became clear that the early oncoproteins E6 and E7 cooperate to immortalize keratinocytes by promoting degradation of tumor suppressor proteins. Our findings suggest that E7 stimulates MYPOP degradation. Moreover, overexpression of MYPOP blocks colony formation of HPV and non-virally transformed keratinocytes, suggesting that MYPOP exhibits tumor suppressor properties.

Tetraspanin Assemblies in Virus Infection

Tetraspanins (Tspans) are a family of four-span transmembrane proteins, known as plasma membrane “master organizers.” They form Tspan-enriched microdomains (TEMs or TERMs) through lateral association with one another and other membrane proteins. If multiple microdomains associate with each other, larger platforms can form. For infection, viruses interact with multiple cell surface components, including receptors, activating proteases, and signaling molecules. It appears that Tspans, such as CD151, CD82, CD81, CD63, CD9, Tspan9, and Tspan7, coordinate these associations by concentrating the interacting partners into Tspan platforms. In addition to mediating viral attachment and entry, these platforms may also be involved in intracellular trafficking of internalized viruses and assist in defining virus assembly and exit sites. In conclusion, Tspans play a role in viral infection at different stages of the virus replication cycle. The present review highlights recently published data on this topic, with a focus on events at the plasma membrane. In light of these findings, we propose a model for how Tspan interactions may organize cofactors for viral infection into distinct molecular platforms.

Extracellular Vesicle Heterogeneity: Subpopulations, Isolation Techniques, and Diverse Functions in Cancer Progression

Cells release membrane enclosed nano-sized vesicles termed extracellular vesicles (EVs) that function as mediators of intercellular communication by transferring biological information between cells. Tumor-derived EVs have emerged as important mediators in cancer development and progression, mainly through transfer of their bioactive content which can include oncoproteins, oncogenes, chemokine receptors, as well as soluble factors, transcripts of proteins and miRNAs involved in angiogenesis or inflammation. This transfer has been shown to influence the metastatic behavior of primary tumors. Moreover, tumor-derived EVs have been shown to influence distant cellular niches, establishing favorable microenvironments that support growth of disseminated cancer cells upon their arrival at these pre-metastatic niches. It is generally accepted that cells release a number of major EV populations with distinct biophysical properties and biological functions. Exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies are EV populations most widely studied and characterized. They are discriminated based primarily on their intracellular origin. However, increasing evidence suggests that even within these EV populations various subpopulations may exist. This heterogeneity introduces an extra level of complexity in the study of EV biology and function. For example, EV subpopulations could have unique roles in the intricate biological processes underlying cancer biology. Here, we discuss current knowledge regarding the role of subpopulations of EVs in cancer development and progression and highlight the relevance of EV heterogeneity. The position of tetraspanins and integrins therein will be highlighted. Since addressing EV heterogeneity has become essential for the EV field, current and novel techniques for isolating EV subpopulations will also be discussed. Further dissection of EV heterogeneity will advance our understanding of the critical roles of EVs in health and disease.

Virus Entry: Looking Back and Moving Forward

Research over a period of more than half a century has provided a reasonably accurate picture of mechanisms involved in animal virus entry into their host cells. Successive steps in entry include binding to receptors, endocytosis, passage through one or more membranes, targeting to specific sites within the cell, and uncoating of the genome. For some viruses, the molecular interactions are known in great detail. However, as more viruses are analyzed, and as the focus shifts from tissue culture to in vivo experiments, it is evident that viruses display considerable redundancy and flexibility in receptor usage, endocytic mechanism, location of penetration, and uncoating mechanism. For many viruses, the picture is still elusive because the interactions that they engage in rely on sophisticated adaptation to complex cellular functions and defense mechanisms.

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Studies using a broad combination of technologies have provided detailed information on the entry and uncoating of many animal viruses.

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Not only the identity of cell surface receptors but their distribution in plasma membrane and in microdomains defines cell tropism and infection efficiency.

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The majority of viruses enter by endocytic mechanisms and penetrate into the cytosol intracellularly from a variety of different organelles.

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The picture is often elusive because many viruses display redundancy in receptor choice and entry strategy.