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Dopkins N, Fei T, Michael S, Liotta N, Guo K, Mickens KL, Barrett BS, Bendall ML, Dillon SM, Wilson CC, Santiago ML, Nixon DF. Endogenous retroelement expression in the gut microenvironment of people living with HIV-1. EBioMedicine 2024; 103:105133. [PMID: 38677181 PMCID: PMC11061259 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endogenous retroelements (EREs), including human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) and long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs), comprise almost half of the human genome. Our previous studies of the interferome in the gut suggest potential mechanisms regarding how IFNb may drive HIV-1 gut pathogenesis. As ERE activity is suggested to partake in type 1 immune responses and is incredibly sensitive to viral infections, we sought to elucidate underlying interactions between ERE expression and gut dynamics in people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). METHODS ERE expression profiles from bulk RNA sequencing of colon biopsies and PBMC were compared between a cohort of PLWH not on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and uninfected controls. FINDINGS 59 EREs were differentially expressed in the colon of PLWH when compared to uninfected controls (padj <0.05 and FC ≤ -1 or ≥ 1) [Wald's Test]. Of these 59, 12 EREs were downregulated in PLWH and 47 were upregulated. Colon expression of the ERE loci LTR19_12p13.31 and L1FLnI_1q23.1s showed significant correlations with certain gut immune cell subset frequencies in the colon. Furthermore L1FLnI_1q23.1s showed a significant upregulation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of PLWH when compared to uninfected controls suggesting a common mechanism of differential ERE expression in the colon and PBMC. INTERPRETATION ERE activity has been largely understudied in genomic characterizations of human pathologies. We show that the activity of certain EREs in the colon of PLWH is deregulated, supporting our hypotheses that their underlying activity could function as (bio)markers and potential mediators of pathogenesis in HIV-1 reservoirs. FUNDING US NIH grants NCI CA260691 (DFN) and NIAID UM1AI164559 (DFN).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Dopkins
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Tongyi Fei
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephanie Michael
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas Liotta
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kejun Guo
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kaylee L Mickens
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Brad S Barrett
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Matthew L Bendall
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephanie M Dillon
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Cara C Wilson
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Mario L Santiago
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Douglas F Nixon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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2
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Casanova JL, MacMicking JD, Nathan CF. Interferon- γ and infectious diseases: Lessons and prospects. Science 2024; 384:eadl2016. [PMID: 38635718 DOI: 10.1126/science.adl2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Infectious diseases continue to claim many lives. Prevention of morbidity and mortality from these diseases would benefit not just from new medicines and vaccines but also from a better understanding of what constitutes protective immunity. Among the major immune signals that mobilize host defense against infection is interferon-γ (IFN-γ), a protein secreted by lymphocytes. Forty years ago, IFN-γ was identified as a macrophage-activating factor, and, in recent years, there has been a resurgent interest in IFN-γ biology and its role in human defense. Here we assess the current understanding of IFN-γ, revisit its designation as an "interferon," and weigh its prospects as a therapeutic against globally pervasive microbial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Laurent Casanova
- St. Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Rockefeller Branch, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, INSERM, Necker Hospital for Sick Children, 75015 Paris, France
- Imagine Institute, Paris Cité University, 75015 Paris, France
- Department of Pediatrics, Necker Hospital for Sick Children, 75015 Paris, France
| | - John D MacMicking
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Yale Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06477, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Carl F Nathan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
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3
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Wang J, Lu X, Zhang W, Liu GH. Endogenous retroviruses in development and health. Trends Microbiol 2024; 32:342-354. [PMID: 37802660 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are evolutionary remnants of retroviral infections in which the viral genome became embedded as a dormant regulatory element within the host germline. When ERVs become activated, they comprehensively rewire genomic regulatory networks of the host and facilitate critical developmental events, such as preimplantation development and placentation, in a manner specific to species, developmental stage, and tissues. However, accumulating evidence suggests that aberrant ERV transcription compromises genome stability and has been implicated in cellular senescence and various pathogenic processes, underscoring the significance of host genomic surveillance mechanisms. Here, we revisit the prominent functions of ERVs in early development and highlight their emerging roles in mammalian post-implantation development and organogenesis. We also discuss their implications for aging and pathological processes such as microbial infection, immune response. Furthermore, we discuss recent advances in stem-cell-based models, single-cell omics, and genome editing technologies, which serve as beacons illuminating the versatile nature of ERVs in mammalian development and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jichang Wang
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China; Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
| | - Xinyi Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Weiqi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics and China National Center for Bioinformation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Guang-Hui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China.
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4
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Mitra A, Dasgupta A, Mitra D. Cellular HSF1 expression is induced during HIV-1 infection by activation of its promoter mediated through the cooperative interaction of HSF1 and viral Nef protein. Arch Biochem Biophys 2024; 754:109947. [PMID: 38417690 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2024.109947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) tends to activate cellular promoters driving expression of pro-viral genes by complex host-virus interactions for productive infection. We have previously demonstrated that expression of such a positive host factor HSF1 (heat shock factor 1) is elevated during HIV-1 infection; however, the mechanism remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we therefore examined whether HSF1 promoter is induced during HIV-1 infection leading to up-regulation of hsf1 gene expression. We mapped the putative transcription start site (TSS) predicted by Eukaryotic promoter database and deletion constructs of the predicted promoter region were tested through luciferase assay to identify the active promoter. The 347 bp upstream to 153 bp downstream region around the putative TSS displayed the highest activity and both Sp1 (stimulating protein 1) and HSF1 itself were identified to be important for its basal activation. Activity of HSF1 promoter was further stimulated during HIV-1 infection in CD4+ T cells, where interestingly the HSF1-site itself seems to play a major role. In addition, HIV-1 protein Nef (negative factor) was also observed to be responsible for the virus-mediated induction of hsf1 gene expression. Chromatin-immunoprecipitation assays further demonstrate that Nef and HSF1 are co-recruited to the HSF1-binding site and cooperatively act on this promoter. The interplay between host HSF1 and viral Nef on HSF1 promoter eventually leads to increase in HSF1 expression during HIV-1 infection. Understanding the mechanism of HSF1 up-regulation during HIV-1 infection might contribute to future antiviral strategies as HSF1 is a positive regulator of virus replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alapani Mitra
- National Centre for Cell Science, Savitribai Phule Pune University Campus, Ganeshkhind, Pune - 411007, Maharashtra, India.
| | - Anindita Dasgupta
- National Centre for Cell Science, Savitribai Phule Pune University Campus, Ganeshkhind, Pune - 411007, Maharashtra, India.
| | - Debashis Mitra
- National Centre for Cell Science, Savitribai Phule Pune University Campus, Ganeshkhind, Pune - 411007, Maharashtra, India.
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5
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Chen M, Huang X, Wang C, Wang S, Jia L, Li L. Endogenous retroviral solo-LTRs in human genome. Front Genet 2024; 15:1358078. [PMID: 38606358 PMCID: PMC11007075 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1358078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are derived from the infection and integration of exogenetic retroviruses. HERVs account for 8% of human genome, and the majority of HERVs are solitary LTRs (solo-LTRs) due to homologous recombination. Multiple findings have showed that solo-LTRs could provide an enormous reservoir of transcriptional regulatory sequences involved in diverse biological processes, especially carcinogenesis and cancer development. The link between solo-LTRs and human diseases still remains poorly understood. This review focuses on the regulatory modules of solo-LTRs, which contribute greatly to the diversification and evolution of human genes. More importantly, although inactivating mutations, insertions and deletions have been identified in solo-LTRs, the inherited regulatory elements of solo-LTRs initiate the expression of chimeric lncRNA transcripts, which have been reported to play crucial roles in human health and disease. These findings provide valuable insights into the evolutionary and functional mechanisms underlying the presence of HERVs in human genome. Taken together, in this review, we will present evidences showing the regulatory and encoding capacity of solo-LTRs as well as the significant impact on various aspects of human biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Chen
- National 111 Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaolong Huang
- National 111 Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chunlei Wang
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing, China
| | - Shibo Wang
- National 111 Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lei Jia
- Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing, China
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6
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Lotke R, Petersen M, Sauter D. Restriction of Viral Glycoprotein Maturation by Cellular Protease Inhibitors. Viruses 2024; 16:332. [PMID: 38543698 PMCID: PMC10975521 DOI: 10.3390/v16030332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The human genome is estimated to encode more than 500 proteases performing a wide range of important physiological functions. They digest proteins in our food, determine the activity of hormones, induce cell death and regulate blood clotting, for example. During viral infection, however, some proteases can switch sides and activate viral glycoproteins, allowing the entry of virions into new target cells and the spread of infection. To reduce unwanted effects, multiple protease inhibitors regulate the proteolytic processing of self and non-self proteins. This review summarizes our current knowledge of endogenous protease inhibitors, which are known to limit viral replication by interfering with the proteolytic activation of viral glycoproteins. We describe the underlying molecular mechanisms and highlight the diverse strategies by which protease inhibitors reduce virion infectivity. We also provide examples of how viruses evade the restriction imposed by protease inhibitors. Finally, we briefly outline how cellular protease inhibitors can be modified and exploited for therapeutic purposes. In summary, this review aims to summarize our current understanding of cellular protease inhibitors as components of our immune response to a variety of viral pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Daniel Sauter
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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7
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Mantovani F, Kitsou K, Magiorkinis G. HERVs: Expression Control Mechanisms and Interactions in Diseases and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:192. [PMID: 38397182 PMCID: PMC10888493 DOI: 10.3390/genes15020192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are the result of retroviral infections acquired millions of years ago; nowadays, they compose around 8% of human DNA. Multiple mechanisms have been employed for endogenous retroviral deactivation, rendering replication and retrotransposition defective, while some of them have been co-opted to serve host evolutionary advantages. A pleiad of mechanisms retains the delicate balance of HERV expression in modern humans. Thus, epigenetic modifications, such as DNA and histone methylation, acetylation, deamination, chromatin remodeling, and even post-transcriptional control are recruited. In this review, we aim to summarize the main HERV silencing pathways, revisit paradigms of human disease with a HERV component, and emphasize the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and HERV interactions during HIV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gkikas Magiorkinis
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (F.M.); (K.K.)
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8
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Mantovani F, Kitsou K, Paraskevis D, Lagiou P, Magiorkinis G. The interaction of human immunodeficiency virus-1 and human endogenous retroviruses in patients (primary cell cultures) and cell line models. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0137923. [PMID: 37811936 PMCID: PMC10715072 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01379-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE In this work, we demonstrated that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection leads to the modification of the human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) expression. Differential expression of multiple HERVs was found in peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived from HIV-infected patients compared to healthy donors and HIV-infected T cell cultures compared to non-infected. The effect of HIV presence on HERV expression appears to be more restricted in cells of monocytic origin, as only deregulation of HERV-W and HERV-K (HML-6) was found in these cell cultures after their infection with HIV. Multiple factors contribute to this aberrant HERV expression, and its levels appear to be modified in a time-dependent manner. Further studies and the development of optimized in vitro protocols are warranted to elucidate the interactions between HIV and HERVs in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Mantovani
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantina Kitsou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Paraskevis
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Pagona Lagiou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gkikas Magiorkinis
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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9
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Singh M, Leddy SM, Iñiguez LP, Bendall ML, Nixon DF, Feschotte C. Transposable elements may enhance antiviral resistance in HIV-1 elite controllers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.11.571123. [PMID: 38168352 PMCID: PMC10760019 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.11.571123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Less than 0.5% of people living with HIV-1 are elite controllers (ECs) - individuals who have a replication-competent viral reservoir in their CD4+ T cells but maintain undetectable plasma viremia without the help of antiretroviral therapy. While the EC CD4+ T cell transcriptome has been investigated for gene expression signatures associated with disease progression (or, in this case, a lack thereof), the expression and regulatory activity of transposable elements (TEs) in ECs has not been explored. Yet previous studies have established that TEs can directly impact the immune response to pathogens, including HIV-1. Thus, we hypothesize that the regulatory activities of TEs could contribute to the natural resistance of ECs against HIV-1. We perform a TE-centric analysis of previously published multi-omics data derived from EC individuals and other populations. We find that the CD4+ T cell transcriptome and retrotranscriptome of ECs are distinct from healthy controls, treated patients, and viremic progressors. However, there is a substantial level of transcriptomic heterogeneity among ECs. We categorize individuals with distinct chromatin accessibility and expression profiles into four clusters within the EC group, each possessing unique repertoires of TEs and antiviral factors. Notably, several TE families with known immuno-regulatory activity are differentially expressed among ECs. Their transcript levels in ECs positively correlate with their chromatin accessibility and negatively correlate with the expression of their KRAB zinc-finger (KZNF) repressors. This coordinated variation is seen at the level of individual TE loci likely acting or, in some cases, known to act as cis-regulatory elements for nearby genes involved in the immune response and HIV-1 restriction. Based on these results, we propose that the EC phenotype is driven in part by the reduced availability of specific KZNF proteins to repress TE-derived cis-regulatory elements for antiviral genes, thereby heightening their basal level of resistance to HIV-1 infection. Our study reveals considerable heterogeneity in the CD4+ T cell transcriptome of ECs, including variable expression of TEs and their KZNF controllers, that must be taken into consideration to decipher the mechanisms enabling HIV-1 control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manvendra Singh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Clinical Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, City Campus, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sabrina M Leddy
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Luis Pedro Iñiguez
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Matthew L Bendall
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Douglas F Nixon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cédric Feschotte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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10
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Yu C, Wang G, Liu Q, Zhai J, Xue M, Li Q, Xian Y, Zheng C. Host antiviral factors hijack furin to block SARS-CoV-2, ebola virus, and HIV-1 glycoproteins cleavage. Emerg Microbes Infect 2023; 12:2164742. [PMID: 36591809 PMCID: PMC9897805 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2164742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Viral envelope glycoproteins are crucial for viral infections. In the process of enveloped viruses budding and release from the producer cells, viral envelope glycoproteins are presented on the viral membrane surface as spikes, promoting the virus's next-round infection of target cells. However, the host cells evolve counteracting mechanisms in the long-term virus-host co-evolutionary processes. For instance, the host cell antiviral factors could potently suppress viral replication by targeting their envelope glycoproteins through multiple channels, including their intracellular synthesis, glycosylation modification, assembly into virions, and binding to target cell receptors. Recently, a group of studies discovered that some host antiviral proteins specifically recognized host proprotein convertase (PC) furin and blocked its cleavage of viral envelope glycoproteins, thus impairing viral infectivity. Here, in this review, we briefly summarize several such host antiviral factors and analyze their roles in reducing furin cleavage of viral envelope glycoproteins, aiming at providing insights for future antiviral studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changqing Yu
- School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Yibin Vocational and Technical College, Yibin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guosheng Wang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qiang Liu
- Nanchong Key Laboratory of Disease Prevention, Control and Detection in Livestock and Poultry, Nanchong Vocational and Technical College, Nanchong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jingbo Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Zoonose Prevention and Control at Universities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Medical College, Inner Mongolia Minzu University, Tongliao, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mengzhou Xue
- Department of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of China,Mengzhou Xue
| | - Qiang Li
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China,Qiang Li
| | - Yuanhua Xian
- School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Yibin Vocational and Technical College, Yibin, People’s Republic of China,Yuanhua Xian
| | - Chunfu Zheng
- Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Infection Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada, Chunfu Zheng
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11
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Shin W, Mun S, Han K. Human Endogenous Retrovirus-K (HML-2)-Related Genetic Variation: Human Genome Diversity and Disease. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2150. [PMID: 38136972 PMCID: PMC10742618 DOI: 10.3390/genes14122150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) comprise a significant portion of the human genome, making up roughly 8%, a notable comparison to the 2-3% represented by coding sequences. Numerous studies have underscored the critical role and importance of HERVs, highlighting their diverse and extensive influence on the evolution of the human genome and establishing their complex correlation with various diseases. Among HERVs, the HERV-K (HML-2) subfamily has recently attracted significant attention, integrating into the human genome after the divergence between humans and chimpanzees. Its insertion in the human genome has received considerable attention due to its structural and functional characteristics and the time of insertion. Originating from ancient exogenous retroviruses, these elements succeeded in infecting germ cells, enabling vertical transmission and existing as proviruses within the genome. Remarkably, these sequences have retained the capacity to form complete viral sequences, exhibiting activity in transcription and translation. The HERV-K (HML-2) subfamily is the subject of active debate about its potential positive or negative effects on human genome evolution and various pathologies. This review summarizes the variation, regulation, and diseases in human genome evolution arising from the influence of HERV-K (HML-2).
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonseok Shin
- NGS Clinical Laboratory, Division of Cancer Research, Dankook University Hospital, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea;
- Smart Animal Bio Institute, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea;
| | - Seyoung Mun
- Smart Animal Bio Institute, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea;
- College of Science & Technology, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
- Center for Bio-Medical Engineering Core Facility, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyudong Han
- Smart Animal Bio Institute, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea;
- Center for Bio-Medical Engineering Core Facility, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Microbiology, College of Science & Technology, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Bioconvergence Engineering, Dankook University, Yongin 16890, Republic of Korea
- R&D Center, HuNBiome Co., Ltd., Seoul 08507, Republic of Korea
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12
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Costa B, Vale N. Exploring HERV-K (HML-2) Influence in Cancer and Prospects for Therapeutic Interventions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14631. [PMID: 37834078 PMCID: PMC10572383 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
This review investigates the intricate role of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) in cancer development and progression, explicitly focusing on HERV-K (HML-2). This paper sheds light on the latest research advancements and potential treatment strategies by examining the historical context of HERVs and their involvement in critical biological processes such as embryonic development, immune response, and disease progression. This review covers computational modeling for drug-target binding assessment, systems biology modeling for simulating HERV-K viral cargo dynamics, and using antiviral drugs to combat HERV-induced diseases. The findings presented in this review contribute to our understanding of HERV-mediated disease mechanisms and provide insights into future therapeutic approaches. They emphasize why HERV-K holds significant promise as a biomarker and a target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Costa
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, s/n, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal;
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, s/n, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Vale
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, s/n, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal;
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, s/n, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
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13
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Pasquesi GIM, Allen H, Ivancevic A, Barbachano-Guerrero A, Joyner O, Guo K, Simpson DM, Gapin K, Horton I, Nguyen L, Yang Q, Warren CJ, Florea LD, Bitler BG, Santiago ML, Sawyer SL, Chuong EB. Regulation of human interferon signaling by transposon exonization. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.11.557241. [PMID: 37745311 PMCID: PMC10515820 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.11.557241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Innate immune signaling is essential for clearing pathogens and damaged cells, and must be tightly regulated to avoid excessive inflammation or autoimmunity. Here, we found that the alternative splicing of exons derived from transposable elements is a key mechanism controlling immune signaling in human cells. By analyzing long-read transcriptome datasets, we identified numerous transposon exonization events predicted to generate functional protein variants of immune genes, including the type I interferon receptor IFNAR2. We demonstrated that the transposon-derived isoform of IFNAR2 is more highly expressed than the canonical isoform in almost all tissues, and functions as a decoy receptor that potently inhibits interferon signaling including in cells infected with SARS-CoV-2. Our findings uncover a primate-specific axis controlling interferon signaling and show how a transposon exonization event can be co-opted for immune regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Irene Maria Pasquesi
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309
- Crnic Institute Boulder Branch, BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80303
| | - Holly Allen
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309
| | - Atma Ivancevic
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309
| | - Arturo Barbachano-Guerrero
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309
| | - Olivia Joyner
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309
| | - Kejun Guo
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045
| | - David M. Simpson
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309
| | - Keala Gapin
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309
| | - Isabella Horton
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309
| | - Lily Nguyen
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045
| | - Qing Yang
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109
| | - Cody J. Warren
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309
- The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Columbus, OH, 43210
| | - Liliana D. Florea
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205
| | - Benjamin G. Bitler
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045
| | - Mario L. Santiago
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045
| | - Sara L. Sawyer
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309
| | - Edward B. Chuong
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309
- Crnic Institute Boulder Branch, BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80303
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14
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Arora A, Kolberg JE, Srinivasachar Badarinarayan S, Savytska N, Munot D, Müller M, Krchlíková V, Sauter D, Bansal V. SARS-CoV-2 infection induces epigenetic changes in the LTR69 subfamily of endogenous retroviruses. Mob DNA 2023; 14:11. [PMID: 37667401 PMCID: PMC10476400 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-023-00299-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) play an important role in the host response to infection and the development of disease. By analyzing ChIP-sequencing data sets, we show that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces H3K27 acetylation of several loci within the LTR69 subfamily of ERVs. Using functional assays, we identified one SARS-CoV-2-activated LTR69 locus, termed Dup69, which exhibits regulatory activity and is responsive to the transcription factors IRF3 and p65/RELA. LTR69_Dup69 is located about 500 bp upstream of a long non-coding RNA gene (ENSG00000289418) and within the PTPRN2 gene encoding a diabetes-associated autoantigen. Both ENSG00000289418 and PTPRN2 showed a significant increase in expression upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thus, our study sheds light on the interplay of exogenous with endogenous viruses and helps to understand how ERVs regulate gene expression during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Arora
- Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine, Bengaluru, India.
| | - Jan Eric Kolberg
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Smitha Srinivasachar Badarinarayan
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Natalia Savytska
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daksha Munot
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Martin Müller
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Veronika Krchlíková
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Sauter
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Vikas Bansal
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany.
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15
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Kyriakou E, Magiorkinis G. Interplay between endogenous and exogenous human retroviruses. Trends Microbiol 2023; 31:933-946. [PMID: 37019721 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
In humans, retroviruses thrive more as symbionts than as parasites. Apart from the only two modern exogenous human retroviruses (human T-cell lymphotropic and immunodeficiency viruses; HTLV and HIV, respectively), ~8% of the human genome is occupied by ancient retroviral DNA [human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs)]. Here, we review the recent discoveries about the interactions between the two groups, the impact of infection by exogenous retroviruses on the expression of HERVs, the effect of HERVs on the pathogenicity of HIV and HTLV and on the severity of the diseases caused by them, and the antiviral protection that HERVs can allegedly provide to the host. Tracing the crosstalk between contemporary retroviruses and their endogenized ancestors will provide better understanding of the retroviral world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Kyriakou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Gkikas Magiorkinis
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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16
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Zhao Y, Jia N, Xie X, Chen Q, Hu T. Whole Transcriptome Analysis of Intervention Effect of Sophora subprostrate Polysaccharide on Inflammation in PCV2 Infected Murine Splenic Lymphocytes. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:6067-6084. [PMID: 37504299 PMCID: PMC10377888 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45070383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Sophora subprostrate, is the dried root and rhizome of Sophora tonkinensis Gagnep. Sophora subprostrate polysaccharide (SSP1) was extracted from Sophora subprostrate, which has shown good anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Previous studies showed SSP1 could modulate inflammatory damage induced by porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in murine splenic lymphocytes, but the specific regulatory mechanism is unclear. (2) Methods: Whole transcriptome analysis was used to characterize the differentially expressed mRNA, lncRNA, and miRNA in PCV2-infected cells and SSP1-treated infected cells. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and other analyses were used to screen for key inflammation-related differentially expressed genes. The sequencing results were verified by RT-qPCR, and western blot was used to verify the key protein in main enriched signal pathways. (3) Results: SSP1 can regulate inflammation-related gene changes induced by PCV2, and its interventional mechanism is mainly involved in the key differential miRNA including miR-7032-y, miR-328-y, and miR-484-z. These inflammation-related genes were mainly enriched in the TNF signal pathway and NF-κB signal pathway, and SSP1 could significantly inhibit the protein expression levels of p-IκB, p-p65, TNF-α, IRF1, GBP2 and p-SAMHD1 to alleviate inflammatory damage. (4) Conclusions: The mechanism of SSP1 regulating PCV2-induced murine splenic lymphocyte inflammation was explored from a whole transcriptome perspective, which provides a theoretical basis for the practical application of SSP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China
| | - Nina Jia
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China
| | - Xiaodong Xie
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China
| | - Qi Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China
| | - Tingjun Hu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China
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17
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Singh B, Dopkins N, Fei T, Marston JL, Michael S, Reyes-Gopar H, Curty G, Heymann JJ, Chadburn A, Martin P, Leal FE, Cesarman E, Nixon DF, Bendall ML. Locus specific human endogenous retroviruses reveal new lymphoma subtypes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.08.544208. [PMID: 37333202 PMCID: PMC10274920 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.08.544208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The heterogeneity of cancers are driven by diverse mechanisms underlying oncogenesis such as differential 'cell-of-origin' (COO) progenitors, mutagenesis, and viral infections. Classification of B-cell lymphomas have been defined by considering these characteristics. However, the expression and contribution of transposable elements (TEs) to B cell lymphoma oncogenesis or classification have been overlooked. We hypothesized that incorporating TE signatures would increase the resolution of B-cell identity during healthy and malignant conditions. Here, we present the first comprehensive, locus-specific characterization of TE expression in benign germinal center (GC) B-cells, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive and EBV-negative Burkitt lymphoma (BL), and follicular lymphoma (FL). Our findings demonstrate unique human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) signatures in the GC and lymphoma subtypes whose activity can be used in combination with gene expression to define B-cell lineage in lymphoid malignancies, highlighting the potential of retrotranscriptomic analyses as a tool in lymphoma classification, diagnosis, and the identification of novel treatment groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavya Singh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas Dopkins
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tongyi Fei
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jez L. Marston
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephanie Michael
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Helena Reyes-Gopar
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Departamento de Genómica Computacional, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gislaine Curty
- Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jonas J. Heymann
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amy Chadburn
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Peter Martin
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Fabio E. Leal
- Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ethel Cesarman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Douglas F. Nixon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew L. Bendall
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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18
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Chen X, Pacis A, Aracena KA, Gona S, Kwan T, Groza C, Lin YL, Sindeaux R, Yotova V, Pramatarova A, Simon MM, Pastinen T, Barreiro LB, Bourque G. Transposable elements are associated with the variable response to influenza infection. CELL GENOMICS 2023; 3:100292. [PMID: 37228757 PMCID: PMC10203045 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2023.100292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Influenza A virus (IAV) infections are frequent every year and result in a range of disease severity. Here, we wanted to explore the potential contribution of transposable elements (TEs) to the variable human immune response. Transcriptome profiling in monocyte-derived macrophages from 39 individuals following IAV infection revealed significant inter-individual variation in viral load post-infection. Using transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq), we identified a set of TE families with either enhanced or reduced accessibility upon infection. Of the enhanced families, 15 showed high variability between individuals and had distinct epigenetic profiles. Motif analysis showed an association with known immune regulators (e.g., BATFs, FOSs/JUNs, IRFs, STATs, NFkBs, NFYs, and RELs) in stably enriched families and with other factors in variable families, including KRAB-ZNFs. We showed that TEs and host factors regulating TEs were predictive of viral load post-infection. Our findings shed light on the role TEs and KRAB-ZNFs may play in inter-individual variation in immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Chen
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Alain Pacis
- Canadian Center for Computational Genomics, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | | | - Saideep Gona
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Tony Kwan
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine at McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Cristian Groza
- Quantitative Life Science, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 1E3, Canada
| | - Yen Lung Lin
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Renata Sindeaux
- Centre de Recherche, CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Vania Yotova
- Centre de Recherche, CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Albena Pramatarova
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine at McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Marie-Michelle Simon
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine at McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Tomi Pastinen
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children’s Mercy Hospital and Research Institute, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
| | - Luis B. Barreiro
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Committee on Immunology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Guillaume Bourque
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Canadian Center for Computational Genomics, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine at McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
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19
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Hamann MV, Adiba M, Lange UC. Confounding factors in profiling of locus-specific human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) transcript signatures in primary T cells using multi-study-derived datasets. BMC Med Genomics 2023; 16:68. [PMID: 37013607 PMCID: PMC10068191 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-023-01486-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV) are repetitive sequence elements and a substantial part of the human genome. Their role in development has been well documented and there is now mounting evidence that dysregulated HERV expression also contributes to various human diseases. While research on HERV elements has in the past been hampered by their high sequence similarity, advanced sequencing technology and analytical tools have empowered the field. For the first time, we are now able to undertake locus-specific HERV analysis, deciphering expression patterns, regulatory networks and biological functions of these elements. To do so, we inevitable rely on omics datasets available through the public domain. However, technical parameters inevitably differ, making inter-study analysis challenging. We here address the issue of confounding factors for profiling locus-specific HERV transcriptomes using datasets from multiple sources. METHODS We collected RNAseq datasets of CD4 and CD8 primary T cells and extracted HERV expression profiles for 3220 elements, resembling most intact, near full-length proviruses. Looking at sequencing parameters and batch effects, we compared HERV signatures across datasets and determined permissive features for HERV expression analysis from multiple-source data. RESULTS We could demonstrate that considering sequencing parameters, sequencing-depth is most influential on HERV signature outcome. Sequencing samples deeper broadens the spectrum of expressed HERV elements. Sequencing mode and read length are secondary parameters. Nevertheless, we find that HERV signatures from smaller RNAseq datasets do reliably reveal most abundantly expressed HERV elements. Overall, HERV signatures between samples and studies overlap substantially, indicating a robust HERV transcript signature in CD4 and CD8 T cells. Moreover, we find that measures of batch effect reduction are critical to uncover genic and HERV expression differences between cell types. After doing so, differences in the HERV transcriptome between ontologically closely related CD4 and CD8 T cells became apparent. CONCLUSION In our systematic approach to determine sequencing and analysis parameters for detection of locus-specific HERV expression, we provide evidence that analysis of RNAseq datasets from multiple studies can aid confidence of biological findings. When generating de novo HERV expression datasets we recommend increased sequence depth ( > = 100 mio reads) compared to standard genic transcriptome pipelines. Finally, batch effect reduction measures need to be implemented to allow for differential expression analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maisha Adiba
- Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ulrike C Lange
- Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany.
- Institute for Infection Research and Vaccine Development, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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20
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Susceptibility and Permissivity of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Larvae to Cypriniviruses. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030768. [PMID: 36992477 PMCID: PMC10051318 DOI: 10.3390/v15030768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) represents an increasingly important model organism in virology. We evaluated its utility in the study of economically important viruses from the genus Cyprinivirus (anguillid herpesvirus 1, cyprinid herpesvirus 2 and cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3)). This revealed that zebrafish larvae were not susceptible to these viruses after immersion in contaminated water, but that infections could be established using artificial infection models in vitro (zebrafish cell lines) and in vivo (microinjection of larvae). However, infections were transient, with rapid viral clearance associated with apoptosis-like death of infected cells. Transcriptomic analysis of CyHV-3-infected larvae revealed upregulation of interferon-stimulated genes, in particular those encoding nucleic acid sensors, mediators of programmed cell death and related genes. It was notable that uncharacterized non-coding RNA genes and retrotransposons were also among those most upregulated. CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of the zebrafish gene encoding protein kinase R (PKR) and a related gene encoding a protein kinase containing Z-DNA binding domains (PKZ) had no impact on CyHV-3 clearance in larvae. Our study strongly supports the importance of innate immunity-virus interactions in the adaptation of cypriniviruses to their natural hosts. It also highlights the potential of the CyHV-3-zebrafish model, versus the CyHV-3-carp model, for study of these interactions.
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21
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Liu Y, Niu Y, Ma X, Xiang Y, Wu D, Li W, Wang T, Niu D. Porcine endogenous retrovirus: classification, molecular structure, regulation, function, and potential risk in xenotransplantation. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:60. [PMID: 36790562 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-00984-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Xenotransplantation with porcine organs has been recognized as a promising solution to alleviate the shortage of organs for human transplantation. Porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV), whose proviral DNAs are integrated in the genome of all pig breeds, is a main microbiological risk for xenotransplantation. Over the last decades, some advances on PERVs' studies have been achieved. Here, we reviewed the current progress of PERVs including the classification, molecular structure, regulation, function in immune system, and potential risk in xenotransplantation. We also discussed the problem of insufficient study on PERVs as well as the questions need to be answered in the future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco-Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Provincial Engineering Research Center for Animal Health Diagnostics & Advanced Technology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Veterinary Medicine and Health Management, China Australia Joint Laboratory for Animal Health Big Data Analytics, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311300, China
| | - Yifan Niu
- College of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco-Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Provincial Engineering Research Center for Animal Health Diagnostics & Advanced Technology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Veterinary Medicine and Health Management, China Australia Joint Laboratory for Animal Health Big Data Analytics, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311300, China
| | - Xiang Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco-Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Provincial Engineering Research Center for Animal Health Diagnostics & Advanced Technology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Veterinary Medicine and Health Management, China Australia Joint Laboratory for Animal Health Big Data Analytics, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311300, China.,College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.,Jinhua Jinfan Feed Co., Ltd, Jinhua, Zhejiang, 321000, China
| | - Yun Xiang
- Jinhua Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinhua, Zhejiang, 321000, China
| | - De Wu
- Postdoctoral Research Station, Jinhua Development Zone, Jinhua, Zhejiang, 321000, China
| | - Weifen Li
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
| | - Tao Wang
- Nanjing Kgene Genetic Engineering Co., Ltd, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211300, China.
| | - Dong Niu
- College of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco-Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Provincial Engineering Research Center for Animal Health Diagnostics & Advanced Technology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Veterinary Medicine and Health Management, China Australia Joint Laboratory for Animal Health Big Data Analytics, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311300, China.
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Grandi N, Erbì MC, Scognamiglio S, Tramontano E. Human Endogenous Retrovirus (HERV) Transcriptome Is Dynamically Modulated during SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Allows Discrimination of COVID-19 Clinical Stages. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0251622. [PMID: 36602345 PMCID: PMC9927238 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02516-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infection is known to trigger an important inflammatory response, which has a major role in COVID-19 pathogenesis. In infectious and inflammatory contexts, the modulation of human endogenous retroviruses (HERV) has been broadly reported, being able to further sustain innate immune responses due to the expression of immunogenic viral transcripts, including double-stranded DNA (dsRNA), and eventually, immunogenic proteins. To gain insights on this poorly characterized interplay, we performed a high-throughput expression analysis of ~3,300 specific HERV loci in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 10 healthy controls and 16 individuals being either convalescent after the infection (6) or retesting positive after convalescence (10) (Gene Expression Onmibus [GEO] data set GSE166253). Results showed that the exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection modulates HERV expression according to the disease stage and reflecting COVID-19 immune signatures. The differential expression analysis between healthy control (HC) and COVID-19 patients allowed us to identify a total of 282 differentially expressed HERV loci (deHERV) in the individuals exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection, independently from the clinical form. In addition, 278 and 60 deHERV loci that were specifically modulated in individuals convalescent after COVID19 infection (C) and patients that retested positive to SARS-CoV-2 after convalescence (RTP) as individually compared to HC, respectively, as well as 164 deHERV loci between C and RTP patients were identified. The identified HERV loci belonged to 36 different HERV groups, including members of all three classes. The present study provides an exhaustive picture of the HERV transcriptome in PBMCs and its dynamic variation in the presence of COVID-19, revealing specific modulation patterns according to the infection stage that can be relevant to the disease clinical manifestation and outcome. IMPORTANCE We report here the first high-throughput analysis of HERV loci expression along SARS-CoV-2 infection, as performed with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Such cells are not directly infected by the virus but have a crucial role in the plethora of inflammatory and immune events that constitute a major hallmark of COVID-19 pathogenesis. Results provide a novel and exhaustive picture of HERV expression in PBMCs, revealing specific modulation patterns according to the disease condition and the concomitant immune activation. To our knowledge, this is the first set of deHERVs whose expression is dynamically modulated across COVID-19 stages, confirming a tight interplay between HERV and cellular immunity and revealing specific transcriptional signatures that can have an impact on the disease clinical manifestation and outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Grandi
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Erbì
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Sante Scognamiglio
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Enzo Tramontano
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Cagliari, Italy
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23
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Wu X, Yan Q, Liu L, Xue X, Yao W, Li X, Li W, Ding S, Xia Y, Zhang D, Zhu F. Domesticated HERV-W env contributes to the activation of the small conductance Ca 2+-activated K + type 2 channels via decreased 5-HT4 receptor in recent-onset schizophrenia. Virol Sin 2023; 38:9-22. [PMID: 36007838 PMCID: PMC10006216 DOI: 10.1016/j.virs.2022.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The human endogenous retroviruses type W family envelope (HERV-W env) gene is located on chromosome 7q21-22. Our previous studies show that HERV-W env is elevated in schizophrenia and HERV-W env can increase calcium influx. Additionally, the 5-HTergic system and particularly 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors play a prominent role in the pathogenesis and treatment of schizophrenia. 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 4 (5-HT4R) agonist can block calcium channels. However, the underlying relationship between HERV-W env and 5-HT4R in the etiology of schizophrenia has not been revealed. Here, we used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect the concentration of HERV-W env and 5-HT4R in the plasma of patients with schizophrenia and we found that there were decreased levels of 5-HT4R and a negative correlation between 5-HT4R and HERV-W env in schizophrenia. Overexpression of HERV-W env decreased the transcription and protein levels of 5-HT4R but increased small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ type 2 channels (SK2) expression levels. Further studies revealed that HERV-W env could interact with 5-HT4R. Additionally, luciferase assay showed that an essential region (-364 to -176 from the transcription start site) in the SK2 promoter was required for HERV-W env-induced SK2 expression. Importantly, 5-HT4R participated in the regulation of SK2 expression and promoter activity. Electrophysiological recordings suggested that HERV-W env could increase SK2 channel currents and the increase of SK2 currents was inhibited by 5-HT4R. In conclusion, HERV-W env could activate SK2 channels via decreased 5-HT4R, which might exhibit a novel mechanism for HERV-W env to influence neuronal activity in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiulin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Qiujin Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | | | - Xing Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Wei Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xuhang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Wenshi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Shuang Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yaru Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Dongyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Fan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy & Immunology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
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24
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Fan TJ, Cui J. Human Endogenous Retroviruses in Diseases. Subcell Biochem 2023; 106:403-439. [PMID: 38159236 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-40086-5_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), which are conserved sequences of ancient retroviruses, are widely distributed in the human genome. Although most HERVs have been rendered inactive by evolution, some have continued to exhibit important cytological functions. HERVs in the human genome perform dual functions: on the one hand, they are involved in important physiological processes such as placental development and immune regulation; on the other hand, their aberrant expression is closely associated with the pathological processes of several diseases, such as cancers, autoimmune diseases, and viral infections. HERVs can also regulate a variety of host cellular functions, including the expression of protein-coding genes and regulatory elements that have evolved from HERVs. Here, we present recent research on the roles of HERVs in viral infections and cancers, including the dysregulation of HERVs in various viral infections, HERV-induced epigenetic modifications of histones (such as methylation and acetylation), and the potential mechanisms of HERV-mediated antiviral immunity. We also describe therapies to improve the efficacy of vaccines and medications either by directly or indirectly targeting HERVs, depending on the HERV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Jiao Fan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
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25
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A Systems Biology Approach on the Regulatory Footprint of Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs). Diseases 2022; 10:diseases10040098. [PMID: 36412592 PMCID: PMC9680359 DOI: 10.3390/diseases10040098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are a family of endogenous retroviruses that comprise the ~8.93% of the human genome sequence, with a high proportion being human specific. The recent expansion of repeated HERV sequences has offered a framework for genetic and epigenetic innovation. In the current report, a systematic approach is implemented to catalogue regulatory elements within HERVs, as a roadmap to potential functions of HERV sequences in gene networks. ENCODE Project has offered a wealth of epigenetic data based on omics technologies. I analyzed the presence of HERV sequences on consensus cis-regulatory elements (cCREs) from ENCODE data. On the one side, HERVs are in 1 out of 9 cCREs (>100.000 cCREs in total), dispersed within the genome and present in cis-regulatory regions of ~81% of human genes, as calculated following gene enrichment analysis. On the other side, promoter-associated HERV cCREs are present adjacent to (in a 200 bp window) the transcription start sites of 256 human genes. Regulatory network production, followed by centrality analysis led to the discovery of 90 core genes containing HERV-associated promoters. Pathway analysis on the core network genes and their immediate neighbors revealed a regulatory footprint that, among others, is associated with inflammation, chemokine signaling and response to viral infection. Collectively, these results support the concept that the expansion of regulatory sequences derived from HERVs is critical for epigenetic innovation that may have wired together genes into novel transcriptional networks with critical roles in cellular physiology and pathology.
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26
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Srinivasachar Badarinarayan S, Sauter D. Not all viruses cause disease: HERV-K(HML-2) in healthy human tissues. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001884. [PMID: 36315578 PMCID: PMC9648852 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) make up a significant part of our genome. While their expression is frequently associated with disease, a new study in PLOS Biology found that HERV-K(HML-2) is expressed in more than 50 healthy tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Sauter
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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27
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Zhang Y, Liao Y, Hang Q, Sun D, Liu Y. GBP2 acts as a member of the interferon signalling pathway in lupus nephritis. BMC Immunol 2022; 23:44. [PMID: 36115937 PMCID: PMC9482746 DOI: 10.1186/s12865-022-00520-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Lupus nephritis (LN) is a common and serious clinical manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus. However, the pathogenesis of LN is not fully understood. The currently available treatments do not cure the disease and appear to have a variety of side effects in the long term. The purpose of this study was to search for key molecules involved in the LN immune response through bioinformatics techniques to provide a reference for LN-specific targeted therapy. The GSE112943 dataset was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and 20 of the samples were selected for analysis. In total, 2330 differentially expressed genes were screened. These genes were intersected with a list of immune genes obtained from the IMMPORT immune database to obtain 128 differentially expressed immune-related genes. Enrichment analysis showed that most of these genes were enriched in the interferon signalling pathway. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that the sample was significantly enriched for expression of the interferon signalling pathway. Further analysis of the core gene cluster showed that nine genes, GBP2, VCAM1, ADAR, IFITM1, BST2, MX2, IRF5, OAS1 and TRIM22, were involved in the interferon signalling pathway. According to our analysis, the guanylate binding protein 2 (GBP2), interferon regulatory factor 5 and 2′-5′-oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1) genes are involved in three interferon signalling pathways. At present, we do not know whether GBP2 is associated with LN. Therefore, this study focused on the relationship between GBP2 and LN pathogenesis. We speculate that GBP2 may play a role in the pathogenesis of LN as a member of the interferon signalling pathway. Further immunohistochemical results showed that the expression of GBP2 was increased in the renal tissues of LN patients compared with the control group, confirming this conjecture. In conclusion, GBP2 is a member of the interferon signalling pathway that may have implications for the pathogenesis of LN and serves as a potential biomarker for LN.
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28
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Pasquesi GIM, Kelly CJ, Ordonez AD, Chuong EB. Transcriptional dynamics of transposable elements in the type I IFN response in Myotis lucifugus cells. Mob DNA 2022; 13:22. [PMID: 36068622 PMCID: PMC9446614 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-022-00277-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bats are a major reservoir of zoonotic viruses, and there has been growing interest in characterizing bat-specific features of innate immunity and inflammation. Recent studies have revealed bat-specific adaptations affecting interferon (IFN) signaling and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs), but we still have a limited understanding of the genetic mechanisms that have shaped the evolution of bat immunity. Here we investigated the transcriptional and epigenetic dynamics of transposable elements (TEs) during the type I IFN response in little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) primary embryonic fibroblast cells, using RNA-seq and CUT&RUN. Results We found multiple bat-specific TEs that undergo both locus-specific and family-level transcriptional induction in response to IFN. Our transcriptome reassembly identified multiple ISGs that have acquired novel exons from bat-specific TEs, including NLRC5, SLNF5 and a previously unannotated isoform of the IFITM2 gene. We also identified examples of TE-derived regulatory elements, but did not find strong evidence supporting genome-wide epigenetic activation of TEs in response to IFN. Conclusion Collectively, our study uncovers numerous TE-derived transcripts, proteins, and alternative isoforms that are induced by IFN in Myotis lucifugus cells, highlighting candidate loci that may contribute to bat-specific immune function. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13100-022-00277-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Irene Maria Pasquesi
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 596 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Conor J Kelly
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 596 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Andrea D Ordonez
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 596 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Edward B Chuong
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 596 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.
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29
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Liu H, Bergant V, Frishman G, Ruepp A, Pichlmair A, Vincendeau M, Frishman D. Influenza A Virus Infection Reactivates Human Endogenous Retroviruses Associated with Modulation of Antiviral Immunity. Viruses 2022; 14:v14071591. [PMID: 35891571 PMCID: PMC9320126 DOI: 10.3390/v14071591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retrovirus (HERVs), normally silenced by methylation or mutations, can be reactivated by multiple environmental factors, including infections with exogenous viruses. In this work, we investigated the transcriptional activity of HERVs in human A549 cells infected by two wild-type (PR8M, SC35M) and one mutated (SC35MΔNS1) strains of Influenza A virus (IAVs). We found that the majority of differentially expressed HERVs (DEHERVS) and genes (DEGs) were up-regulated in the infected cells, with the most significantly enriched biological processes associated with the genes differentially expressed exclusively in SC35MΔNS1 being linked to the immune system. Most DEHERVs in PR8M and SC35M are mammalian apparent LTR retrotransposons, while in SC35MΔNS1, more HERV loci from the HERVW9 group were differentially expressed. Furthermore, up-regulated pairs of HERVs and genes in close chromosomal proximity to each other tended to be associated with immune responses, which implies that specific HERV groups might have the potential to trigger specific gene networks and influence host immunological pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengyuan Liu
- Department of Bioinformatics, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany;
| | - Valter Bergant
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 81675 Munich, Germany; (V.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Goar Frishman
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (G.F.); (A.R.)
| | - Andreas Ruepp
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (G.F.); (A.R.)
| | - Andreas Pichlmair
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 81675 Munich, Germany; (V.B.); (A.P.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich Partner Site, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Michelle Vincendeau
- Research Group Endogenous Retroviruses, Institute of Virology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.V.); (D.F.)
| | - Dmitrij Frishman
- Department of Bioinformatics, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany;
- Correspondence: (M.V.); (D.F.)
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30
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Zhang M, Zheng S, Liang JQ. Transcriptional and reverse transcriptional regulation of host genes by human endogenous retroviruses in cancers. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:946296. [PMID: 35928153 PMCID: PMC9343867 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.946296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) originated from ancient retroviral infections of germline cells millions of years ago and have evolved as part of the host genome. HERVs not only retain the capacity as retroelements but also regulate host genes. The expansion of HERVs involves transcription by RNA polymerase II, reverse transcription, and re-integration into the host genome. Fast progress in deep sequencing and functional analysis has revealed the importance of domesticated copies of HERVs, including their regulatory sequences, transcripts, and proteins in normal cells. However, evidence also suggests the involvement of HERVs in the development and progression of many types of cancer. Here we summarize the current state of knowledge about the expression of HERVs, transcriptional regulation of host genes by HERVs, and the functions of HERVs in reverse transcription and gene editing with their reverse transcriptase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengwen Zhang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Second Affiliated Hospital, Cancer Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shu Zheng
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Second Affiliated Hospital, Cancer Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Shu Zheng,
| | - Jessie Qiaoyi Liang
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Center for Gut Microbiota Research, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Jessie Qiaoyi Liang,
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31
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Li Y, Zhang G, Cui J. Origin and Deep Evolution of Human Endogenous Retroviruses in Pan-Primates. Viruses 2022; 14:v14071370. [PMID: 35891351 PMCID: PMC9323773 DOI: 10.3390/v14071370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are viral “fossils” in the human genome that originated from the ancient integration of exogenous retroviruses. Although HERVs have sporadically been reported in nonhuman primate genomes, their deep origination in pan-primates remains to be explored. Hence, based on the in silico genomic mining of full-length HERVs in 49 primates, we performed the largest systematic survey to date of the distribution, phylogeny, and functional predictions of HERVs. Most importantly, we obtained conclusive evidence of nonhuman origin for most contemporary HERVs. We found that various supergroups, including HERVW9, HUERSP, HSERVIII, HERVIPADP, HERVK, and HERVHF, were widely distributed in Strepsirrhini, Platyrrhini (New World monkeys) and Catarrhini (Old World monkeys and apes). We found that numerous HERVHFs are spread by vertical transmission within Catarrhini and one HERVHF was traced in 17 species, indicating its ancient nature. We also discovered that 164 HERVs were likely involved in genomic rearrangement and 107 HERVs were potentially coopted in the form of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in humans. In summary, we provided comprehensive data on the deep origination of modern HERVs in pan-primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yian Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China;
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guojie Zhang
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-1353 Copenhagen, Denmark;
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Jie Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China;
- Correspondence:
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32
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Schelle L, Côrte-Real JV, Esteves PJ, Abrantes J, Baldauf HM. Functional cross-species conservation of guanylate-binding proteins in innate immunity. Med Microbiol Immunol 2022; 212:141-152. [PMID: 35416510 PMCID: PMC9005921 DOI: 10.1007/s00430-022-00736-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Guanylate binding proteins (GBPs) represent an evolutionary ancient protein family widely distributed among eukaryotes. They are interferon (IFN)-inducible guanosine triphosphatases that belong to the dynamin superfamily. GBPs are known to have a major role in the cell-autonomous innate immune response against bacterial, parasitic and viral infections and are also involved in inflammasome activation. Evolutionary studies depicted that GBPs present a pattern of gain and loss of genes in each family with several genes pseudogenized and some genes more divergent, indicative for the birth-and-death evolution process. Most species harbor large GBP gene clusters encoding multiple paralogs. Previous functional studies mainly focused on mouse and human GBPs, but more data are becoming available, broadening the understanding of this multifunctional protein family. In this review, we will provide new insights and give a broad overview about GBP evolution, conservation and their roles in all studied species, including plants, invertebrates and vertebrates, revealing how far the described features of GBPs can be transferred to other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Schelle
- Faculty of Medicine, Max Von Pettenkofer Institute and Gene Center, Virology, National Reference Center for Retroviruses, LMU München, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 23, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - João Vasco Côrte-Real
- Faculty of Medicine, Max Von Pettenkofer Institute and Gene Center, Virology, National Reference Center for Retroviruses, LMU München, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 23, 81377, Munich, Germany.,CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.,Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal.,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Pedro José Esteves
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.,Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal.,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.,CITS-Center of Investigation in Health Technologies, CESPU, 4585-116, Gandra, Portugal
| | - Joana Abrantes
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.,Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal.,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Hanna-Mari Baldauf
- Faculty of Medicine, Max Von Pettenkofer Institute and Gene Center, Virology, National Reference Center for Retroviruses, LMU München, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 23, 81377, Munich, Germany.
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33
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Liu L, Yuan G, Sun F, Shi J, Chen H, Hu Y. Treg Cell Evaluation in Patients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome with Poor Immune Reconstitution and Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Treg Cell Prevention by Polymeric Nanoparticle Drug Delivery System. J Biomed Nanotechnol 2022; 18:818-827. [PMID: 35715913 DOI: 10.1166/jbn.2022.3294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
To better deliver antiretroviral drugs for treating patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) with poor immune reconstitution, a novel nanopole capsule was designed in this study. Forty-eight patients with AIDS with poor immune reconstitution were chosen as subjects to test their immune state. CD4+ T and Regulatory T cells (Treg) infected with HIV were cultured to test polyethyleneimine (PEI) and polychitosan (PC) drug delivery system efficiency. The infiltration efficiency test was performed to study the drug delivery efficiency of the delivery systems, and the cell numbers of CD4+ T and Treg cells infected with HIV were calculated to evaluate the therapeutic effect. The results showed that patients with AIDS with poor immune reconstitution had lower CD4+ T cell count and higher Treg cell count. Furthermore, the infiltration efficiency of the PC drug delivery system was higher than that of the PEI drug delivery system, and the therapy efficiency of antiretroviral drugs was greatly improved in the PC group. Additionally, the improvement of CD4+ T and Treg cells damaged by HIV was greater in the PC group. Sequentially, the PC system can better deliver and release loaded antiretroviral drugs and may be a better choice for treating patients with AIDS with poor immune reconstitution in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linsong Liu
- Acute Infection Department of HuaMei Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Ningbo, 315000, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Gang Yuan
- Acute Infection Department of HuaMei Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Ningbo, 315000, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Fuyan Sun
- Acute Infection Department of HuaMei Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Ningbo, 315000, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Jinchuan Shi
- The Second Department of Infection, Hangzhou Xixi Hospital, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Heling Chen
- Acute Infection Department of HuaMei Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Ningbo, 315000, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yaoren Hu
- Department of Hepatology, Ningbo Huamei Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315000, Zhejiang, PR China
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Characterization of influenza A virus induced transposons reveals a subgroup of transposons likely possessing the regulatory role as eRNAs. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2188. [PMID: 35140280 PMCID: PMC8828846 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06196-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Although many studies have observed genome-wide host transposon expression alteration during viral infection, the mechanisms of induction and the impact on the host remain unclear. Utilizing recently published influenza A virus (IAV) time series data and ENCODE functional genomics data, we characterized virus induced host differentially expressed transposons (virus-induced-TE) by investigating genome-wide spatial and functional relevance between the virus-induced-TEs and epigenomic markers (e.g. histone modification and chromatin remodelers). We found that a significant fraction of virus-induced-TEs are derived from host enhancer regions, where CHD4 binding and/or H3K27ac occupancy is high or H3K9me3 occupancy is low. By overlapping virus-induced-TEs to human enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), we discovered that a proportion of virus-induced-TEs are either eRNAs or part of enhancer RNAs. Upon further analysis of the eRNA targeted genes, we found that the virus-induced-TE related eRNA targets are overrepresented in differentially expressed host genes of IAV infected samples. Our results suggest that changing chromatin accessibility from repressive to permissive in the transposon docked enhancer regions to regulate host downstream gene expression is potentially one of the virus and host cell interaction mechanisms, where transposons are likely important regulatory genomic elements. Our study provides a new insight into the mechanisms of virus-host interaction and may lead to novel strategies for prevention and therapeutics of IAV and other virus infectious diseases.
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35
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Merikangas AK, Shelly M, Knighton A, Kotler N, Tanenbaum N, Almasy L. What genes are differentially expressed in individuals with schizophrenia? A systematic review. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:1373-1383. [PMID: 35091668 PMCID: PMC9095490 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01420-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe, complex mental disorder characterized by a combination of positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and impaired cognitive function. Schizophrenia is highly heritable (~80%) with multifactorial etiology and complex polygenic genetic architecture. Despite the large number of genetic variants associated with schizophrenia, few causal variants have been established. Gaining insight into the mechanistic influences of these genetic variants may facilitate our ability to apply these findings to prevention and treatment. Though there have been more than 300 studies of gene expression in schizophrenia over the past 15 years, none of the studies have yielded consistent evidence for specific genes that contribute to schizophrenia risk. The aim of this work is to conduct a systematic review and synthesis of case-control studies of genome-wide gene expression in schizophrenia. Comprehensive literature searches were completed in PubMed, EmBase, and Web of Science, and after a systematic review of the studies, data were extracted from those that met the following inclusion criteria: human case-control studies comparing the genome-wide transcriptome of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia to healthy controls published between January 1, 2000 and June 30, 2020 in the English language. Genes differentially expressed in cases were extracted from these studies, and overlapping genes were compared to previous research findings from the genome-wide association, structural variation, and tissue-expression studies. The transcriptome-wide analysis identified different genes than those previously reported in genome-wide association, exome sequencing, and structural variation studies of schizophrenia. Only one gene, GBP2, was replicated in five studies. Previous work has shown that this gene may play a role in immune function in the etiology of schizophrenia, which in turn could have implications for risk profiling, prevention, and treatment. This review highlights the methodological inconsistencies that impede valid meta-analyses and synthesis across studies. Standardization of the use of covariates, gene nomenclature, and methods for reporting results could enhance our understanding of the potential mechanisms through which genes exert their influence on the etiology of schizophrenia. Although these results are promising, collaborative efforts with harmonization of methodology will facilitate the identification of the role of genes underlying schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison K. Merikangas
- grid.239552.a0000 0001 0680 8770Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA USA ,grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA ,grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Lifespan Brain Institute, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Matthew Shelly
- grid.239552.a0000 0001 0680 8770Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA USA ,grid.268256.d0000 0000 8510 1943Department of Biology, College of Science and Engineering, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA USA
| | - Alexys Knighton
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Nicholas Kotler
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Nicole Tanenbaum
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Laura Almasy
- grid.239552.a0000 0001 0680 8770Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA USA ,grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA ,grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Lifespan Brain Institute, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
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36
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Buttler CA, Chuong EB. Emerging roles for endogenous retroviruses in immune epigenetic regulation. Immunol Rev 2022; 305:165-178. [PMID: 34816452 PMCID: PMC8766910 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been significant progress toward understanding the transcriptional networks underlying mammalian immune responses, fueled by advances in regulatory genomic technologies. Epigenomic studies profiling immune cells have generated detailed genome-wide maps of regulatory elements that will be key to deciphering the regulatory networks underlying cellular immune responses and autoimmune disorders. Unbiased analyses of these genomic maps have uncovered endogenous retroviruses as an unexpected ally in the regulation of human immune systems. Despite their parasitic origins, studies are finding an increasing number of examples of retroviral sequences having been co-opted for beneficial immune function and regulation by the host cell. Here, we review how endogenous retroviruses have given rise to numerous regulatory elements that shape the epigenetic landscape of host immune responses. We will discuss the implications of these elements on the function, dysfunction, and evolution of innate immunity.
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Hale BG. Antiviral immunity triggered by infection-induced host transposable elements. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 52:211-216. [PMID: 34959082 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Host silencing of transposable elements (TEs) is critical to prevent genome damage and inappropriate inflammation. However, new evidence suggests that a virus-infected host may re-activate TEs and co-opt them for antiviral defense. RNA-Seq and specialized bioinformatics have revealed the diversity of virus infections that induce TEs. Furthermore, studies with influenza virus have uncovered how infection-triggered changes to the SUMOylation of TRIM28, an epigenetic co-repressor, lead to TE de-repression. Importantly, there is a growing appreciation of how de-repressed TEs stimulate antiviral gene expression, either via cis-acting enhancer functions or via their recognition as viral mimetics by innate immune nucleic acid sensors (e.g. RIG-I, mda-5 and cGAS). Understanding how viruses trigger, and counteract, TE-based antiviral immunity should provide insights into pathogenic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin G Hale
- Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland.
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38
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Genome-Wide Characterization of Zebrafish Endogenous Retroviruses Reveals Unexpected Diversity in Genetic Organizations and Functional Potentials. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0225421. [PMID: 34908463 PMCID: PMC8672886 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02254-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) occupy a substantial fraction of mammalian genomes. However, whether ERVs extensively exist in ancient vertebrates remains unexplored. Here, we performed a genome-wide characterization of ERVs in a zebrafish (Danio rerio) model. Approximately 3,315 ERV-like elements (DrERVs) were identified as Gypsy, Copia, Bel, and class I−III groups. DrERVs accounted for approximately 2.3% of zebrafish genome and were distributed in all 25 chromosomes, with a remarkable bias on chromosome 4. Gypsy and class I are the two most abundant groups with earlier insertion times. The vast majority of the DrERVs have varied structural defects. A total of 509 gag and 71 env genes with coding potentials were detected. The env-coding elements were well-characterized and classified into four subgroups. A ERV-E4.8.43-DanRer element shows high similarity with HERV9NC-int in humans and analogous sequences were detected in species spanning from fish to mammals. RNA-seq data showed that hundreds of DrERVs were expressed in embryos and tissues under physiological conditions, and most of them exhibited stage and tissue specificity. Additionally, 421 DrERVs showed strong responsiveness to virus infection. A unique group of DrERVs with immune-relevant genes, such as fga, ddx41, ftr35, igl1c3, and tbk1, instead of intrinsic viral genes were identified. These DrERVs are regulated by transcriptional factors binding at the long terminal repeats. This study provided a survey of the composition, phylogeny, and potential functions of ERVs in a fish model, which benefits the understanding of the evolutionary history of ERVs from fish to mammals. IMPORTANCE Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are relics of past infection that constitute up to 8% of the human genome. Understanding the genetic evolution of the ERV family and the interplay of ERVs and encoded RNAs and proteins with host function has become a new frontier in biology. Fish, as the most primitive vertebrate host for retroviruses, is an indispensable integral part for such investigations. In the present study, we report the genome-wide characterization of ERVs in zebrafish, an attractive model organism of ancient vertebrates from multiple perspectives, including composition, genomic organization, chromosome distribution, classification, phylogeny, insertion time, characterization of gag and env genes, and expression profiles in embryos and tissues. The result helps uncover the evolutionarily conserved and fish-specific ERVs, as well as the immune-relevant ERVs in response to virus infection. This study demonstrates the previously unrecognized abundance, diversification, and extensive activity of ERVs at the early stage of ERV evolution.
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39
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Srinivasachar Badarinarayan S, Sauter D. Switching Sides: How Endogenous Retroviruses Protect Us from Viral Infections. J Virol 2021; 95:e02299-20. [PMID: 33883223 PMCID: PMC8315955 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02299-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Long disregarded as junk DNA or genomic dark matter, endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) have turned out to represent important components of the antiviral immune response. These remnants of once-infectious retroviruses not only regulate cellular immune activation, but may even directly target invading viral pathogens. In this Gem, we summarize mechanisms by which retroviral fossils protect us from viral infections. One focus will be on recent advances in the role of ERVs as regulators of antiviral gene expression.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Endogenous Retroviruses/genetics
- Endogenous Retroviruses/physiology
- Enhancer Elements, Genetic
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Humans
- Immunity, Cellular
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- RNA, Double-Stranded/genetics
- RNA, Double-Stranded/metabolism
- RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics
- RNA, Long Noncoding/metabolism
- RNA, Viral/genetics
- RNA, Viral/metabolism
- Receptors, Pattern Recognition/metabolism
- Receptors, Virus/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptors, Virus/metabolism
- Retroelements
- Viral Proteins/metabolism
- Virion/metabolism
- Virus Diseases/genetics
- Virus Diseases/immunology
- Virus Diseases/virology
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Affiliation(s)
- Smitha Srinivasachar Badarinarayan
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Sauter
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Germany
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40
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Li X, Guo Y, Li H, Huang X, Pei Z, Wang X, Liu Y, Jia L, Li T, Bao Z, Wang X, Han L, Han J, Li J, Li L. Infection by Diverse HIV-1 Subtypes Leads to Different Elevations in HERV-K Transcriptional Levels in Human T Cell Lines. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:662573. [PMID: 34079529 PMCID: PMC8165174 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.662573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) make up ~8% of the human genome, and for millions of years, they have been subject to strict biological regulation. Many HERVs do not participate in normal physiological activities in the body. However, in some pathological conditions, they can be abnormally activated. For example, HIV infection can cause abnormal activation of HERVs, and under different infection conditions, HERV expression may be different. We observed significant differences in HERV-K transcription levels among HIV-1 subtype-infected individuals. The transcriptional levels in the HERV-K gag region were significantly increased in HIV-1 B subtype-infected patients, while the transcriptional levels in the HERV-K pol region were significantly increased in CRF01_AE and CRF07_BC subtype-infected patients. In vitro, the transcriptional levels of HEVR-K were increased 5-fold and 15-fold in MT2 cells transfected with two different HIV-1 strains (B and CRF01_AE, respectively). However, there was no significant difference in transcriptional levels among regions of HERV-K. When MT2 cells were infected with different subtypes of HIV-1 Tat proteins (B, CRF01_AE), which is constructed by lentiviruses, and the transcription levels of HERV-K were increased 4-fold and 2-fold, respectively. Thus, different subtypes of HIV-1 have different effects on HERV-K transcription levels, which may be caused by many factors, not only Tat protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of AIDS Research, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yaolin Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of AIDS Research, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Hanping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of AIDS Research, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaofeng Huang
- The Second Medical Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhichao Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of AIDS Research, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of AIDS Research, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yongjian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of AIDS Research, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of AIDS Research, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Tianyi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of AIDS Research, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Zuoyi Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of AIDS Research, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaorui Wang
- Department of Microbiological Laboratory Technology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Control and Prevention in Universities of Shandong, Jinan, China
| | - Leilei Han
- School of Public Health and Affiliated Shijiazhuang Fifth Hospital, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Jingwan Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of AIDS Research, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Jingyun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of AIDS Research, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Department of AIDS Research, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
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41
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Gazquez-Gutierrez A, Witteveldt J, R Heras S, Macias S. Sensing of transposable elements by the antiviral innate immune system. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 27:rna.078721.121. [PMID: 33888553 PMCID: PMC8208052 DOI: 10.1261/rna.078721.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Around half of the genome in mammals is composed of transposable elements (TEs) such as DNA transposons and retrotransposons. Several mechanisms have evolved to prevent their activity and the detrimental impact of their insertional mutagenesis. Despite these potentially negative effects, TEs are essential drivers of evolution, and in certain settings, beneficial to their hosts. For instance, TEs have rewired the antiviral gene regulatory network and are required for early embryonic development. However, due to structural similarities between TE-derived and viral nucleic acids, cells can misidentify TEs as invading viruses and trigger the major antiviral innate immune pathway, the type I interferon (IFN) response. This review will focus on the different settings in which the role of TE-mediated IFN activation has been documented, including cancer and senescence. Importantly, TEs may also play a causative role in the development of complex autoimmune diseases characterised by constitutive type I IFN activation. All these observations suggest the presence of strong but opposing forces driving the coevolution of TEs and antiviral defence. A better biological understanding of the TE replicative cycle as well as of the antiviral nucleic acid sensing mechanisms will provide insights into how these two biological processes interact and will help to design better strategies to treat human diseases characterised by aberrant TE expression and/or type I IFN activation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeroen Witteveldt
- University of Edinburgh - Institute of Immunology and Infection Research
| | - Sara R Heras
- GENYO. Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer University of Granada
| | - Sara Macias
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research
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42
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Römer C. Viruses and Endogenous Retroviruses as Roots for Neuroinflammation and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:648629. [PMID: 33776642 PMCID: PMC7994506 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.648629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Many neurodegenerative diseases are associated with chronic inflammation in the brain and periphery giving rise to a continuous imbalance of immune processes. Next to inflammation markers, activation of transposable elements, including long intrespersed nuclear elements (LINE) elements and endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), has been identified during neurodegenerative disease progression and even correlated with the clinical severity of the disease. ERVs are remnants of viral infections in the human genome acquired during evolution. Upon activation, they produce transcripts and the phylogenetically youngest ones are still able to produce viral-like particles. In addition, ERVs can bind transcription factors and modulate immune response. Being between own and foreign, ERVs are reviewed in the context of viral infections of the central nervous system, in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, this review tests the hypothesis that viral infection may be a trigger at the onset of neuroinflammation and that ERVs sustain the inflammatory imbalance by summarizing existing data of neurodegenerative diseases associated with viruses and/or ERVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Römer
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, The Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Berlin, Germany
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43
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Zhang R, Li Z, Tang YD, Su C, Zheng C. When human guanylate-binding proteins meet viral infections. J Biomed Sci 2021; 28:17. [PMID: 33673837 PMCID: PMC7934404 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-021-00716-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate immunity is the first line of host defense against viral infection. After invading into the cells, pathogen-associated-molecular-patterns derived from viruses are recognized by pattern recognition receptors to activate the downstream signaling pathways to induce the production of type I interferons (IFN-I) and inflammatory cytokines, which play critical functions in the host antiviral innate immune responses. Guanylate-binding proteins (GBPs) are IFN-inducible antiviral effectors belonging to the guanosine triphosphatases family. In addition to exerting direct antiviral functions against certain viruses, a few GBPs also exhibit regulatory roles on the host antiviral innate immunity. However, our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of GBPs' roles in viral infection and host antiviral innate immune signaling is still very limited. Therefore, here we present an updated overview of the functions of GBPs during viral infection and in antiviral innate immunity, and highlight discrepancies in reported findings and current challenges for future studies, which will advance our understanding of the functions of GBPs and provide a scientific and theoretical basis for the regulation of antiviral innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongzhao Zhang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.,State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zhixin Li
- Fuzhou Medical College of Nanchang University, Fuzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yan-Dong Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Chenhe Su
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
| | - Chunfu Zheng
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China. .,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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44
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Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. Evolutionary conflicts and adverse effects of antiviral factors. eLife 2021; 10:e65243. [PMID: 33450175 PMCID: PMC7811402 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cells are equipped with a plethora of antiviral proteins protecting them against invading viral pathogens. In contrast to apoptotic or pyroptotic cell death, which serves as ultima ratio to combat viral infections, these cell-intrinsic restriction factors may prevent or at least slow down viral spread while allowing the host cell to survive. Nevertheless, their antiviral activity may also have detrimental effects on the host. While the molecular mechanisms underlying the antiviral activity of restriction factors are frequently well investigated, potential undesired effects of their antiviral functions on the host cell are hardly explored. With a focus on antiretroviral proteins, we summarize in this review how individual restriction factors may exert adverse effects as trade-off for efficient defense against attacking pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sauter
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical CenterUlmGermany
- Institute of Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital TübingenTübingenGermany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical CenterUlmGermany
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