1
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Hamdan TA. The Multifaceted Roles of NK Cells in the Context of Murine Cytomegalovirus and Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Infections. Immune Netw 2024; 24:e29. [PMID: 39246620 PMCID: PMC11377952 DOI: 10.4110/in.2024.24.e29] [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: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024] Open
Abstract
NK cells belong to innate lymphoid cells and able to eliminate infected cells and tumor cells. NK cells play a valuable role in controlling viral infections. Also, they have the potential to shape the adaptive immunity via a unique crosstalk with the different immune cells. Murine models are important tools for delineating the immunological phenomena in viral infection. To decipher the immunological virus-host interactions, two major infection models are being investigated in mice regarding NK cell-mediated recognition: murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). In this review, we recapitulate recent findings regarding the multifaceted role of NK cells in controlling LCMV and MCMV infections and outline the exquisite interplay between NK cells and other immune cells in these two settings. Considering that, infections with MCMV and LCMV recapitulates many physiopathological characteristics of human cytomegalovirus infection and chronic virus infections respectively, this study will extend our understanding of NK cells biology in interactions between the virus and its natural host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thamer A Hamdan
- Department of Basic Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman 19328, Jordan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman 19328, Jordan
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2
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Alburkat HAT, Pulkkinen E, Virtanen J, Vapalahti O, Sironen T, Jääskeläinen AJ. Serological and molecular screening of arenaviruses in suspected tick-borne encephalitis cases in Finland. Epidemiol Infect 2024; 152:e20. [PMID: 38250808 PMCID: PMC10894894 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268824000128] [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: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is one of the arenaviruses infecting humans. LCMV infections have been reported worldwide in humans with varying levels of severity. To detect arenavirus RNA and LCMV-reactive antibodies in different geographical regions of Finland, we screened human serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples, taken from suspected tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) cases, using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). No arenavirus nucleic acids were detected, and the overall LCMV seroprevalence was 4.5%. No seroconversions were detected in paired serum samples. The highest seroprevalence (5.2%) was detected among individuals of age group III (40-59 years), followed by age group I (under-20-year-olds, 4.9%), while the lowest seroprevalence (3.8%) was found in age group IV (60 years or older). A lower LCMV seroprevalence in older age groups may suggest waning of immunity over time. The observation of a higher seroprevalence in the younger age group and the decreasing population size of the main reservoir host, the house mouse, may suggest exposure to another LCMV-like virus in Finland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein Abas Thamer Alburkat
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Emilia Pulkkinen
- HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- ISLAB Laboratory Centre, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jenni Virtanen
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tarja Sironen
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - A J Jääskeläinen
- HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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3
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Martínez-Sobrido L, Ye C, de la Torre JC. Plasmid-Based Lassa Virus Reverse Genetics. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2733:115-131. [PMID: 38064030 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3533-9_8] [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: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Several mammarenaviruses cause hemorrhagic fever (HF) disease in humans and pose a significant public health problem in their endemic regions. The Old World (OW) mammarenavirus Lassa virus (LASV) is estimated to infect several hundred thousand people yearly in West Africa, resulting in high numbers of Lassa fever (LF) cases, a disease associated with high morbidity and mortality. No licensed vaccines are available to combat LASV infection, and anti-LASV drug therapy is limited to the off-label use of ribavirin whose efficacy remains controversial. The development of reverse genetics approaches has provided investigators with a powerful approach for the investigation of the molecular, cell biology and pathogenesis of mammarenaviruses. The use of cell-based minigenome systems has allowed examining the cis- and trans-acting factors involved in viral genome replication and gene transcription, assembly, and budding, which has facilitated the identification of several anti-mammarenavirus candidate drugs. Likewise, it is possible now to rescue infectious recombinant mammarenaviruses from cloned cDNAs containing predetermined mutations in their genomes to investigate virus-host interactions and mechanisms of viral pathogenesis. Reverse genetics have also allowed the generation of mammarenaviruses expressing foreign genes to facilitate virus detection, to identify antiviral drugs, and to generate live-attenuated vaccine (LAV) candidates. Likewise, reverse genetics techniques have allowed the generation of single-cycle infectious, reporter-expressing mammarenaviruses to study some aspects of the biology of HF-causing human mammarenavirus without the need of high security biocontainment laboratories. In this chapter, we describe the experimental procedures to generate recombinant (r)LASV using state-of-the-art plasmid-based reverse genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chengjin Ye
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Juan Carlos de la Torre
- Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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4
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Sänger L, Williams HM, Yu D, Vogel D, Kosinski J, Rosenthal M, Uetrecht C. RNA to Rule Them All: Critical Steps in Lassa Virus Ribonucleoparticle Assembly and Recruitment. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:27958-27974. [PMID: 38104324 PMCID: PMC10755698 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c07325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Lassa virus is a negative-strand RNA virus with only four structural proteins that causes periodic outbreaks in West Africa. The nucleoprotein (NP) encapsidates the viral genome, forming ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) together with the viral RNA and the L protein. RNPs must be continuously restructured during viral genome replication and transcription. The Z protein is important for membrane recruitment of RNPs, viral particle assembly, and budding and has also been shown to interact with the L protein. However, the interaction of NP, viral RNA, and Z is poorly understood. Here, we characterize the interactions between Lassa virus NP, Z, and RNA using structural mass spectrometry. We identify the presence of RNA as the driver for the disassembly of ring-like NP trimers, a storage form, into monomers to subsequently form higher order RNA-bound NP assemblies. We locate the interaction site of Z and NP and demonstrate that while NP binds Z independently of the presence of RNA, this interaction is pH-dependent. These data improve our understanding of RNP assembly, recruitment, and release in Lassa virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Sänger
- Bernhard
Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
- CSSB
Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Leibniz
Institute of Virology (LIV), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Harry M. Williams
- Bernhard
Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
- CSSB
Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dingquan Yu
- CSSB
Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- European
Molecular Biology Laboratory Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dominik Vogel
- Bernhard
Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Kosinski
- CSSB
Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- European
Molecular Biology Laboratory Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Structural
and Computational Biology Unit, European
Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maria Rosenthal
- Bernhard
Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
- CSSB
Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Fraunhofer
Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), Discovery Research ScreeningPort, Schnackenburgallee 114, 22525 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Charlotte Uetrecht
- CSSB
Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Leibniz
Institute of Virology (LIV), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Faculty
V: School of Life Sciences, University of
Siegen, Am Eichenhang 50, 57076 Siegen, Germany
- Deutsches
Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
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5
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Bezerra EHS, Melo-Hanchuk TD, Marques RE. Structural and molecular biology of Sabiá virus. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2023; 248:1624-1634. [PMID: 37937408 PMCID: PMC10723027 DOI: 10.1177/15353702231199071] [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] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Brazilian mammarenavirus, or Sabiá virus (SABV), is a New World (NW) arenavirus associated with fulminant hemorrhagic disease in humans and the sole biosafety level 4 microorganism ever isolated in Brazil. Since the isolation of SABV in the 1990s, studies on viral biology have been scarce, with no available countermeasures against SABV infection or disease. Here we provide a comprehensive review of SABV biology, including key aspects of SABV replication, and comparisons with related Old World and NW arenaviruses. SABV is most likely a rodent-borne virus, transmitted to humans, through exposure to urine and feces in peri-urban areas. Using protein structure prediction methods and alignments, we analyzed shared and unique features of SABV proteins (GPC, NP, Z, and L) that could be explored in search of therapeutic strategies, including repurposing intended application against arenaviruses. Highly conserved catalytic activities present in L protein could be targeted for broad-acting antiviral activity among arenaviruses, while protein-protein interactions, such as those between L and the matrix protein Z, have evolved in NW arenaviruses and should be specific to SABV. The nucleoprotein (NP) also shares targetable interaction interfaces with L and Z and exhibits exonuclease activity in the C-terminal domain, which may be involved in multiple aspects of SABV replication. Envelope glycoproteins GP1 and GP2 have been explored in the development of promising cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies and vaccines, some of which could be repurposed for SABV. GP1 remains a challenging target in SABV as evolutive pressures render it the most variable viral protein in terms of both sequence and structure, while antiviral strategies targeting the Z protein remain to be validated. In conclusion, the prediction and analysis of protein structures should revolutionize research on viruses such as SABV by facilitating the rational design of countermeasures while reducing dependence on sophisticated laboratory infrastructure for experimental validation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rafael Elias Marques
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), São Paulo 13083-100, Brazil
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6
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Hamele CE, Spurrier MA, Leonard RA, Heaton NS. Segmented, Negative-Sense RNA Viruses of Humans: Genetic Systems and Experimental Uses of Reporter Strains. Annu Rev Virol 2023; 10:261-282. [PMID: 37774125 PMCID: PMC10795101 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-virology-111821-120445] [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] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Negative-stranded RNA viruses are a large group of viruses that encode their genomes in RNA across multiple segments in an orientation antisense to messenger RNA. Their members infect broad ranges of hosts, and there are a number of notable human pathogens. Here, we examine the development of reverse genetic systems as applied to these virus families, emphasizing conserved approaches illustrated by some of the prominent members that cause significant human disease. We also describe the utility of their genetic systems in the development of reporter strains of the viruses and some biological insights made possible by their use. To conclude the review, we highlight some possible future uses of reporter viruses that not only will increase our basic understanding of how these viruses replicate and cause disease but also could inform the development of new approaches to therapeutically intervene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cait E Hamele
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA;
| | - M Ariel Spurrier
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA;
| | - Rebecca A Leonard
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA;
| | - Nicholas S Heaton
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA;
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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7
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Sierra AA, Loureiro ME, Esperante S, Borkosky SS, Gallo GL, de Prat Gay G, Lopez N. Nuclease Activity of the Junín Virus Nucleoprotein C-Terminal Domain. Viruses 2023; 15:1818. [PMID: 37766225 PMCID: PMC10535676 DOI: 10.3390/v15091818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammarenavirus Junín (JUNV) is the causative agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever, a severe disease of public health concern. The most abundant viral protein is the nucleoprotein (NP), a multifunctional, two-domain protein with the primary role as structural component of the viral nucleocapsids, used as template for viral polymerase RNA synthesis activities. Here, we report that the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the attenuated Candid#1 strain of the JUNV NP can be purified as a stable soluble form with a secondary structure in line with known NP structures from other mammarenaviruses. We show that the JUNV NP CTD interacts with the viral matrix protein Z in vitro, and that the full-length NP and Z interact with each other in cellulo, suggesting that the NP CTD is responsible for this interaction. This domain comprises an arrangement of four acidic residues and a histidine residue conserved in the active site of exoribonucleases belonging to the DEDDh family. We show that the JUNV NP CTD displays metal-ion-dependent nuclease activity against DNA and single- and double-stranded RNA, and that this activity is impaired by the mutation of a catalytic residue within the DEDDh motif. These results further support this activity, not previously observed in the JUNV NP, which could impact the mechanism of the cellular immune response modulation of this important pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Armella Sierra
- Centro de Virología Humana y Animal (CEVHAN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Buenos Aires C1287, Argentina; (A.A.S.); (M.E.L.); (G.L.G.)
| | - María Eugenia Loureiro
- Centro de Virología Humana y Animal (CEVHAN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Buenos Aires C1287, Argentina; (A.A.S.); (M.E.L.); (G.L.G.)
| | - Sebastián Esperante
- Fundación Instituto Leloir, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires (IIBBA) CONICET, Buenos Aires C1405, Argentina; (S.E.); (S.S.B.); (G.d.P.G.)
| | - Silvia Susana Borkosky
- Fundación Instituto Leloir, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires (IIBBA) CONICET, Buenos Aires C1405, Argentina; (S.E.); (S.S.B.); (G.d.P.G.)
| | - Giovanna L. Gallo
- Centro de Virología Humana y Animal (CEVHAN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Buenos Aires C1287, Argentina; (A.A.S.); (M.E.L.); (G.L.G.)
| | - Gonzalo de Prat Gay
- Fundación Instituto Leloir, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires (IIBBA) CONICET, Buenos Aires C1405, Argentina; (S.E.); (S.S.B.); (G.d.P.G.)
| | - Nora Lopez
- Centro de Virología Humana y Animal (CEVHAN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Buenos Aires C1287, Argentina; (A.A.S.); (M.E.L.); (G.L.G.)
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8
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Chaperonin TRiC/CCT Participates in Mammarenavirus Multiplication in Human Cells via Interaction with the Viral Nucleoprotein. J Virol 2023; 97:e0168822. [PMID: 36656012 PMCID: PMC9973018 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01688-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The eukaryotic chaperonin containing tailless complex polypeptide 1 ring complex (CCT, also known as TCP-1 Ring Complex, TRiC/CCT) participates in the folding of 5% to 10% of the cellular proteome and has been involved in the life cycle of several viruses, including dengue, Zika, and influenza viruses, but the mechanisms by which the TRiC/CCT complex contributes to virus multiplication remain poorly understood. Here, we document that the nucleoprotein (NP) of the mammarenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a substrate of the human TRiC/CCT complex, and that pharmacological inhibition of TRiC/CCT complex function, or RNAi-mediated knockdown of TRiC/CCT complex subunits, inhibited LCMV multiplication in human cells. We obtained evidence that the TRiC/CCT complex is required for the production of NP-containing virus-like particles (VLPs), and the activity of the virus ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) responsible for directing replication and transcription of the viral genome. Pharmacological inhibition of the TRIC/CCT complex also restricted multiplication of the live-attenuated vaccine candidates Candid#1 and ML29 of the hemorrhagic fever causing Junin (JUNV) and Lassa (LASV) mammarenaviruses, respectively. Our findings indicate that the TRiC/CCT complex is required for mammarenavirus multiplication and is an attractive candidate for the development of host directed antivirals against human-pathogenic mammarenaviruses. IMPORTANCE Host-directed antivirals have gained great interest as an antiviral strategy to counteract the rapid emergence of drug-resistant viruses. The chaperonin TRiC/CCT complex has been involved in the life cycle of several viruses, including dengue, Zika, and influenza viruses. Here, we have provided evidence that the chaperonin TRiC/CCT complex participates in mammarenavirus infection via its interaction with the viral NP. Importantly, pharmacological inhibition of TRiC/CCT function significantly inhibited multiplication of LCMV and the distantly related mammarenavirus JUNV in human cells. Our findings support that the TRiC/CCT complex is required for multiplication of mammarenaviruses and that the TRiC/CCT complex is an attractive host target for the development of antivirals against human-pathogenic mammarenaviruses.
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9
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Elsaghir A, El-Sabaa EMW, Ahmed AK, Abdelwahab SF, Sayed IM, El-Mokhtar MA. The Role of Cluster of Differentiation 39 (CD39) and Purinergic Signaling Pathway in Viral Infections. Pathogens 2023; 12:279. [PMID: 36839551 PMCID: PMC9967413 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
CD39 is a marker of immune cells such as lymphocytes and monocytes. The CD39/CD73 pathway hydrolyzes ATP into adenosine, which has a potent immunosuppressive effect. CD39 regulates the function of a variety of immunologic cells through the purinergic signaling pathways. CD39+ T cells have been implicated in viral infections, including Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), viral hepatitis, and Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections. The expression of CD39 is an indicator of lymphocyte exhaustion, which develops during chronicity. During RNA viral infections, the CD39 marker can profile the populations of CD4+ T lymphocytes into two populations, T-effector lymphocytes, and T-regulatory lymphocytes, where CD39 is predominantly expressed on the T-regulatory cells. The level of CD39 in T lymphocytes can predict the disease progression, antiviral immune responses, and the response to antiviral drugs. Besides, the percentage of CD39 and CD73 in B lymphocytes and monocytes can affect the status of viral infections. In this review, we investigate the impact of CD39 and CD39-expressing cells on viral infections and how the frequency and percentage of CD39+ immunologic cells determine disease prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa Elsaghir
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
| | - Ehsan M. W. El-Sabaa
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
| | | | - Sayed F. Abdelwahab
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrahim M. Sayed
- Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
| | - Mohamed A. El-Mokhtar
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
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10
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Afowowe TO, Sakurai Y, Urata S, Zadeh VR, Yasuda J. Topoisomerase II as a Novel Antiviral Target against Panarenaviral Diseases. Viruses 2022; 15:105. [PMID: 36680145 PMCID: PMC9866940 DOI: 10.3390/v15010105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Although many arenaviruses cause severe diseases with high fatality rates each year, treatment options are limited to off-label use of ribavirin, and a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved vaccine is not available. To identify novel therapeutic candidates against arenaviral diseases, an RNA polymerase I-driven minigenome (MG) expression system for Lassa virus (LASV) was developed and optimized for high-throughput screening (HTS). Using this system, we screened 2595 FDA-approved compounds for inhibitors of LASV genome replication and identified multiple compounds including pixantrone maleate, a topoisomerase II inhibitor, as hits. Other tested topoisomerase II inhibitors also suppressed LASV MG activity. These topoisomerase II inhibitors also inhibited Junin virus (JUNV) MG activity and effectively limited infection by the JUNV Candid #1 strain, and siRNA knockdown of both topoisomerases (IIα and IIβ) restricted JUNV replication. These results suggest that topoisomerases II regulate arenavirus replication and can serve as molecular targets for panarenaviral replication inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tosin Oladipo Afowowe
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
- Program for Nurturing Global Leaders in Tropical and Emerging Communicable Diseases, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Yasuteru Sakurai
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
- National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Shuzo Urata
- National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Vahid Rajabali Zadeh
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Jiro Yasuda
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
- Program for Nurturing Global Leaders in Tropical and Emerging Communicable Diseases, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
- National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
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11
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The Pan-ErbB tyrosine kinase inhibitor afatinib inhibits multiple steps of the mammarenavirus life cycle. Virology 2022; 576:83-95. [PMID: 36183499 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2022.09.005] [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: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The mammarenavirus Lassa virus (LASV) causes a life-threatening acute febrile disease, Lassa fever (LF). To date, no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-licensed medical countermeasures against LASV are available. This underscores the need for the development of novel anti-LASV drugs. Here, we screen an FDA-approved drug library to identify novel anti-LASV drug candidates using an infectious-free cell line expressing a functional LASV ribonucleoprotein (vRNP), where levels of vRNP-directed reporter gene expression serve as a surrogate for vRNP activity. Our screen identified the pan-ErbB tyrosine kinase inhibitor afatinib as a potent inhibitor of LASV vRNP activity. Afatinib inhibited multiplication of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) a mammarenavirus closely related to LASV. Cell-based assays revealed that afatinib inhibited multiple steps of the LASV and LCMV life cycles. Afatinib also inhibited multiplication of Junín virus vaccine strain Candid#1, indicating that afatinib can have antiviral activity against a broad range of human pathogenic mammarenaviruses.
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12
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Establishment of Recombinant Trisegmented Mopeia Virus Expressing Two Reporter Genes for Screening of Mammarenavirus Inhibitors. Viruses 2022; 14:v14091869. [PMID: 36146676 PMCID: PMC9505675 DOI: 10.3390/v14091869] [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: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Highly pathogenic Arenaviruses, like the Lassa Virus (LASV), pose a serious public health threat in affected countries. Research and development of vaccines and therapeutics are urgently needed but hampered by the necessity to handle these pathogens under biosafety level 4 conditions. These containment restrictions make large-scale screens of antiviral compounds difficult. Therefore, the Mopeia virus (MOPV), closely related to LASV, is often used as an apathogenic surrogate virus. We established for the first time trisegmented MOPVs (r3MOPV) with duplicated S segments, in which one of the viral genes was replaced by the reporter genes ZsGreen (ZsG) or Renilla Luciferase (Rluc), respectively. In vitro characterization of the two trisegmented viruses (r3MOPV ZsG/Rluc and r3MOPV Rluc/ZsG), showed comparable growth behavior to the wild type virus and the expression of the reporter genes correlated well with viral titer. We used the reporter viruses in a proof-of-principle in vitro study to evaluate the antiviral activity of two well characterized drugs. IC50 values obtained by Rluc measurement were similar to those obtained by virus titers. ZsG expression was also suitable to evaluate antiviral effects. The trisegmented MOPVs described here provide a versatile and valuable basis for rapid high throughput screening of broadly reactive antiviral compounds against arenaviruses under BSL-2 conditions.
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Abstract
Mammarenaviruses establish a persistent infection in their rodent and bat hosts, and the evidence suggests that reptarenaviruses and hartmaniviruses found in captive snakes act similarly. In snakes, reptarenaviruses cause boid inclusion body disease (BIBD), which is often associated with secondary infections. Snakes with BIBD usually carry more than a single pair of reptarenavirus S and L segments and occasionally demonstrate hartmanivirus coinfection. Here, we reported the generation of cell lines persistently infected with a single or two reptarenavirus(es) and a cell line with persistent reptarenavirus-hartmanivirus coinfection. By RT-PCR we demonstrated that the amount of viral RNA within the persistently infected cells remains at levels similar to those observed following initial infection. Using antibodies against the glycoproteins (GPs) and nucleoprotein (NP) of reptarenaviruses, we studied the levels of viral protein in cells passaged 10 times after the original inoculation and observed that the expression of GPs declines dramatically during persistent infection, unlike the expression of NP. Immunofluorescence (IF) staining served to demonstrate differences in the distribution of NP within the persistently infected compared to freshly infected cells. IF staining of cells inoculated with the viruses secreted from the persistently infected cell lines produced similar NP staining compared to cells infected with a traditionally passaged virus, suggesting that the altered NP expression pattern of persistently infected cells does not relate to changes in the virus. The cell cultures described herein can serve as tools for studying the coinfection and superinfection interplay between reptarenaviruses and studying the BIBD pathogenesis mechanisms. IMPORTANCE Mammarenaviruses cause a persistent infection in their natural rodent and bat hosts. Reptarenaviruses cause boid inclusion body disease (BIBD) in constrictor snakes, but it is unclear whether snakes are the natural host of these viruses. In this study, we showed that reptarenaviruses established a persistent infection in cultured Boa constrictor cells and that the persistently infected cells continued to produce infectious virus. Our results showed that persistent infection results from subsequent passaging of cells inoculated with a single reptarenavirus, two reptarenaviruses, or even when inoculating the cells with reptarenavirus and hartmanivirus (another arenavirus genus). The results further suggested that coinfection would not result in overt competition between the different reptarenaviruses, thus helping to explain the frequent reptarenavirus coinfections in snakes with BIBD. The established cell culture models of persistent infection could help to elucidate the role of coinfection and superinfection and potential immunosuppression as the pathogenic mechanisms behind BIBD.
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Gallo GL, López N, Loureiro ME. The Virus–Host Interplay in Junín Mammarenavirus Infection. Viruses 2022; 14:v14061134. [PMID: 35746604 PMCID: PMC9228484 DOI: 10.3390/v14061134] [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: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Junín virus (JUNV) belongs to the Arenaviridae family and is the causative agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF), a severe human disease endemic to agricultural areas in Argentina. At this moment, there are no effective antiviral therapeutics to battle pathogenic arenaviruses. Cumulative reports from recent years have widely provided information on cellular factors playing key roles during JUNV infection. In this review, we summarize research on host molecular determinants that intervene in the different stages of the viral life cycle: viral entry, replication, assembly and budding. Alongside, we describe JUNV tight interplay with the innate immune system. We also review the development of different reverse genetics systems and their use as tools to study JUNV biology and its close teamwork with the host. Elucidating relevant interactions of the virus with the host cell machinery is highly necessary to better understand the mechanistic basis beyond virus multiplication, disease pathogenesis and viral subversion of the immune response. Altogether, this knowledge becomes essential for identifying potential targets for the rational design of novel antiviral treatments to combat JUNV as well as other pathogenic arenaviruses.
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15
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Abstract
Reverse genetics systems provide a powerful tool to generate recombinant arenavirus expressing reporters to facilitate the investigation of the arenavirus life cycle and also for the discovery of antiviral countermeasures. The plasmid-encoded viral ribonucleoprotein components initiate the transcription and replication of a plasmid-driven full-length viral genome, resulting in infectious virus. Thereby, this approach is ideal for the generation of recombinant arenaviruses expressing reporter genes that can be used as valid surrogates for virus replication. By splitting the small viral segment (S) into two viral segments (S1 and S2), each of them encoding a reporter gene, recombinant tri-segmented arenavirus can be rescued. Bi-reporter-expressing recombinant tri-segmented arenaviruses represent an excellent tool to study the biology of arenaviruses, including the identification and characterization of both prophylactic and therapeutic countermeasures for the treatment of arenaviral infections. In this chapter, we describe a detailed protocol on the generation and in vitro characterization of recombinant arenaviruses containing a tri-segment genome expressing two reporter genes based on the prototype member in the family, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). Similar experimental approaches can be used for the generation of bi-reporter-expressing tri-segment recombinant viruses for other members in the arenavirus family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengjin Ye
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
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16
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Ren F, Shen S, Wang Q, Wei G, Huang C, Wang H, Ning YJ, Zhang DY, Deng F. Recent Advances in Bunyavirus Reverse Genetics Research: Systems Development, Applications, and Future Perspectives. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:771934. [PMID: 34950119 PMCID: PMC8689132 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.771934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Bunyaviruses are members of the Bunyavirales order, which is the largest group of RNA viruses, comprising 12 families, including a large group of emerging and re-emerging viruses. These viruses can infect a wide variety of species worldwide, such as arthropods, protozoans, plants, animals, and humans, and pose substantial threats to the public. In view of the fact that a better understanding of the life cycle of a highly pathogenic virus is often a precondition for developing vaccines and antivirals, it is urgent to develop powerful tools to unravel the molecular basis of the pathogenesis. However, biosafety level −3 or even −4 containment laboratory is considered as a necessary condition for working with a number of bunyaviruses, which has hampered various studies. Reverse genetics systems, including minigenome (MG), infectious virus-like particle (iVLP), and infectious full-length clone (IFLC) systems, are capable of recapitulating some or all steps of the viral replication cycle; among these, the MG and iVLP systems have been very convenient and effective tools, allowing researchers to manipulate the genome segments of pathogenic viruses at lower biocontainment to investigate the viral genome transcription, replication, virus entry, and budding. The IFLC system is generally developed based on the MG or iVLP systems, which have facilitated the generation of recombinant infectious viruses. The MG, iVLP, and IFLC systems have been successfully developed for some important bunyaviruses and have been widely employed as powerful tools to investigate the viral replication cycle, virus–host interactions, virus pathogenesis, and virus evolutionary process. The majority of bunyaviruses is generally enveloped negative-strand RNA viruses with two to six genome segments, of which the viruses with bipartite and tripartite genome segments have mostly been characterized. This review aimed to summarize current knowledge on reverse genetic studies of representative bunyaviruses causing severe diseases in humans and animals, which will contribute to the better understanding of the bunyavirus replication cycle and provide some hints for developing designed antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuli Ren
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Wuhan, China.,State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Shu Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiongya Wang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Gang Wei
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Chaolin Huang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Hualin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yun-Jia Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Ding-Yu Zhang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Fei Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
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17
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Abstract
Arenaviruses initiate infection by delivering a transcriptionally competent ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex into the cytosol of host cells. The arenavirus RNP consists of the large (L) RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) bound to a nucleoprotein (NP)-encapsidated genomic RNA (viral RNA [vRNA]) template. During transcription and replication, L must transiently displace RNA-bound NP to allow for template access into the RdRP active site. Concomitant with RNA replication, new subunits of NP must be added to the nascent complementary RNAs (cRNA) as they emerge from the product exit channel of L. Interactions between L and NP thus play a central role in arenavirus gene expression. We developed an approach to purify recombinant functional RNPs from mammalian cells in culture using a synthetic vRNA and affinity-tagged L and NP. Negative-stain electron microscopy of purified RNPs revealed they adopt diverse and flexible structures, like RNPs of other Bunyavirales members. Monodispersed L-NP and trimeric ring-like NP complexes were also obtained in excess of flexible RNPs, suggesting that these heterodimeric structures self-assemble in the absence of suitable RNA templates. This work allows for further biochemical analysis of the interaction between arenavirus L and NP proteins and provides a framework for future high-resolution structural analyses of this replication-associated complex. IMPORTANCE Arenaviruses are rodent-borne pathogens that can cause severe disease in humans. All arenaviruses begin the infection cycle with delivery of the virus replication machinery into the cytoplasm of the host cell. This machinery consists of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase-which copies the viral genome segments and synthesizes all four viral mRNAs-bound to the two nucleoprotein-encapsidated genomic RNAs. How this complex assembles remains a mystery. Our findings provide direct evidence for the formation of diverse intracellular arenavirus replication complexes using purification strategies for the polymerase, nucleoprotein, and genomic RNA of Machupo virus, which causes Bolivian hemorrhagic fever in humans. We demonstrate that the polymerase and nucleoprotein assemble into higher-order structures within cells, providing a model for the molecular events of arenavirus RNA synthesis. These findings provide a framework for probing the architectures and functions of the arenavirus replication machinery and thus advancing antiviral strategies targeting this essential complex.
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18
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Kang H, Cong J, Wang C, Ji W, Xin Y, Qian Y, Li X, Chen Y, Rao Z. Structural basis for recognition and regulation of arenavirus polymerase L by Z protein. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4134. [PMID: 34226547 PMCID: PMC8257661 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24458-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Junin virus (JUNV) causes Argentine hemorrhagic fever, a debilitating human disease of high mortality rates and a great risk to public health worldwide. Studying the L protein that replicates and transcribes the genome of JUNV, and its regulator Z protein should provide critical clues to identify therapeutic targets for disrupting the life cycle of JUNV. Here we report the 3.54 Å cryo-EM structure of the JUNV L protein complexed with regulator Z protein. JUNV L structure reveals a conserved architecture containing signature motifs found in other L proteins. Structural analysis shows that L protein is regulated by binding of Z protein at the RNA product exit site. Based on these findings, we propose a model for the role of Z protein as a switch to turn on/off the viral RNA synthesis via its interaction with L protein. Our work unveils the mechanism of JUNV transcription, replication and regulation, which provides a framework for the rational design of antivirals for combating viral infections. Junin virus (JUNV) causes Argentine hemorrhagic fever and encodes the large protein (L) of the RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and its regulator, the matrix zinc-binding protein (Z). Here, the authors present the 3.54 Å cryo-EM structure of the complex of JUNV L with Z, and they propose a model of how JUNV L is regulated by Z during the viral life cycle and RNA synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiling Kang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jingyuan Cong
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chenlong Wang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenxin Ji
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhui Xin
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Qian
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xuemei Li
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Yutao Chen
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Zihe Rao
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Laboratory of Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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19
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Feng M, Li L, Cheng R, Yuan Y, Dong Y, Chen M, Guo R, Yao M, Xu Y, Zhou Y, Wu J, Ding XS, Zhou X, Tao X. Development of a Mini-Replicon-Based Reverse-Genetics System for Rice Stripe Tenuivirus. J Virol 2021; 95:e0058921. [PMID: 33952642 PMCID: PMC8223943 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00589-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Negative-stranded RNA (NSR) viruses include both animal- and plant-infecting viruses that often cause serious diseases in humans and livestock and in agronomic crops. Rice stripe tenuivirus (RSV), a plant NSR virus with four negative-stranded/ambisense RNA segments, is one of the most destructive rice pathogens in many Asian countries. Due to the lack of a reliable reverse-genetics technology, molecular studies of RSV gene functions and its interaction with host plants are severely hampered. To overcome this obstacle, we developed a mini-replicon-based reverse-genetics system for RSV gene functional analysis in Nicotiana benthamiana. We first developed a mini-replicon system expressing an RSV genomic RNA3 enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) reporter [MR3(-)eGFP], a nucleocapsid (NP), and a codon usage-optimized RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRpopt). Using this mini-replicon system, we determined that RSV NP and RdRpopt are indispensable for the eGFP expression from MR3(-)eGFP. The expression of eGFP from MR3(-)eGFP can be significantly enhanced in the presence of four viral suppressors of RNA silencing (VSRs), NSs, and P19-HcPro-γb. In addition, NSvc4, the movement protein of RSV, facilitated eGFP trafficking between cells. We also developed an antigenomic RNA3-based replicon in N. benthamiana. However, we found that the RSV NS3 coding sequence acts as a cis element to regulate viral RNA expression. Finally, we made mini-replicons representing all four RSV genomic RNAs. This is the first mini-replicon-based reverse-genetics system for monocot-infecting tenuivirus. We believe that the mini-replicon system described here will allow studies of the RSV replication, transcription, cell-to-cell movement, and host machinery underpinning RSV infection in plants. IMPORTANCE Plant-infecting segmented negative-stranded RNA (NSR) viruses are grouped into three genera: Orthotospovirus, Tenuivirus, and Emaravirus. Reverse-genetics systems have been established for members of the genera Orthotospovirus and Emaravirus. However, there is still no reverse-genetics system available for Tenuivirus. Rice stripe virus (RSV) is a monocot-infecting tenuivirus with four negative-stranded/ambisense RNA segments. It is one of the most destructive rice pathogens and causes significant damage to the rice industry in Asian countries. Due to the lack of a reliable reverse-genetics system, molecular characterizations of RSV gene functions and the host machinery underpinning RSV infection in plants are extremely difficult. To overcome this obstacle, we developed a mini-replicon-based reverse-genetics system for RSV in Nicotiana benthamiana. This is the first mini-replicon-based reverse-genetics system for tenuivirus. We consider that this system will provide researchers a new working platform to elucidate the molecular mechanisms dictating segmented tenuivirus infections in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingfeng Feng
- Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Luyao Li
- Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ruixiang Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yulong Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yongxin Dong
- Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Minglong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Rong Guo
- Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Min Yao
- Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi Xu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yijun Zhou
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jiangsu Technical Service Center of Diagnosis and Detection for Plant Virus Diseases, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianxiang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xin Shun Ding
- Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xueping Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaorong Tao
- Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
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20
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Kim YJ, Venturini V, de la Torre JC. Progress in Anti-Mammarenavirus Drug Development. Viruses 2021; 13:v13071187. [PMID: 34206216 PMCID: PMC8310104 DOI: 10.3390/v13071187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammarenaviruses are prevalent pathogens distributed worldwide, and several strains cause severe cases of human infections with high morbidity and significant mortality. Currently, there is no FDA-approved antiviral drugs and vaccines against mammarenavirus and the potential treatment option is limited to an off-label use of ribavirin that shows only partial protective effect and associates with side effects. For the past few decades, extensive research has reported potential anti-mammarenaviral drugs and their mechanisms of action in host as well as vaccine candidates. This review describes current knowledge about mammarenavirus virology, progress of antiviral drug development, and technical strategies of drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jin Kim
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (Y.-J.K.); (V.V.)
| | - Victor Venturini
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (Y.-J.K.); (V.V.)
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Francisco de Vitoria University (UFV), Carretera Pozuelo-Majadahonda, Km 1,800, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan C. de la Torre
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (Y.-J.K.); (V.V.)
- Correspondence:
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21
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Wan W, Zhu S, Li S, Shang W, Zhang R, Li H, Liu W, Xiao G, Peng K, Zhang L. High-Throughput Screening of an FDA-Approved Drug Library Identifies Inhibitors against Arenaviruses and SARS-CoV-2. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:1409-1422. [PMID: 33183004 PMCID: PMC7671101 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Arenaviruses are a large family of enveloped negative-strand RNA viruses that include several causative agents of severe hemorrhagic fevers. Currently, there are no FDA-licensed drugs to treat arenavirus infection except for the off-labeled use of ribavirin. Here, we performed antiviral drug screening against the Old World arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) using an FDA-approved drug library. Five drug candidates were identified, including mycophenolic acid, benidipine hydrochloride, clofazimine, dabrafenib, and apatinib, for having strong anti-LCMV effects. Further analysis indicated that benidipine hydrochloride inhibited LCMV membrane fusion, and an adaptive mutation on the LCMV glycoprotein D414 site was found to antagonize the anti-LCMV activity of benidipine hydrochloride. Mycophenolic acid inhibited LCMV replication by depleting GTP production. We also found mycophenolic acid, clofazimine, dabrafenib, and apatinib can inhibit the newly emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Owing to their FDA-approved status, these drug candidates can potentially be used rapidly in the clinical treatment of arenavirus and SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, PR
China
- University of Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR
China
| | - Shenglin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, PR
China
| | - Shufen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, PR
China
| | - Weijuan Shang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, PR
China
| | - Ruxue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, PR
China
| | - Hao Li
- Beijing Institute of
Microbiology and Epidemiology, State Key
Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing 100071, PR
China
| | - Wei Liu
- Beijing Institute of
Microbiology and Epidemiology, State Key
Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing 100071, PR
China
| | - Gengfu Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, PR
China
- University of Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR
China
| | - Ke Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, PR
China
- University of Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR
China
| | - Leike Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, PR
China
- University of Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR
China
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22
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Yamada H, Taniguchi S, Shimojima M, Tan L, Kimura M, Morinaga Y, Fukuhara T, Matsuura Y, Komeno T, Furuta Y, Saijo M, Tani H. M Segment-Based Minigenome System of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus as a Tool for Antiviral Drug Screening. Viruses 2021; 13:v13061061. [PMID: 34205062 PMCID: PMC8227636 DOI: 10.3390/v13061061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is an emerging tick-borne bunyavirus that causes severe disease in humans with case fatality rates of approximately 30%. There are few treatment options for SFTSV infection. SFTSV RNA synthesis is conducted using a virus-encoded complex with RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity that is required for viral propagation. This complex and its activities are, therefore, potential antiviral targets. A library of small molecule compounds was processed using a high-throughput screening (HTS) based on an SFTSV minigenome assay (MGA) in a 96-well microplate format to identify potential lead inhibitors of SFTSV RNA synthesis. The assay confirmed inhibitory activities of previously reported SFTSV inhibitors, favipiravir and ribavirin. A small-scale screening using MGA identified four candidate inhibitors that inhibited SFTSV minigenome activity by more than 80% while exhibiting less than 20% cell cytotoxicity with selectivity index (SI) values of more than 100. These included mycophenolate mofetil, methotrexate, clofarabine, and bleomycin. Overall, these data demonstrate that the SFTSV MGA is useful for anti-SFTSV drug development research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Yamada
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan; (H.Y.); (L.T.); (M.K.); (Y.M.)
| | - Satoshi Taniguchi
- Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan; (S.T.); shimoji-@nih.go.jp (M.S.); (M.S.)
| | - Masayuki Shimojima
- Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan; (S.T.); shimoji-@nih.go.jp (M.S.); (M.S.)
| | - Long Tan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan; (H.Y.); (L.T.); (M.K.); (Y.M.)
| | - Miyuki Kimura
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan; (H.Y.); (L.T.); (M.K.); (Y.M.)
| | - Yoshitomo Morinaga
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan; (H.Y.); (L.T.); (M.K.); (Y.M.)
| | - Takasuke Fukuhara
- Department of Molecular Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (T.F.); (Y.M.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido 060-8638, Japan
| | - Yoshiharu Matsuura
- Department of Molecular Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (T.F.); (Y.M.)
- Center for Infectious Diseases Education and Research (CiDER), Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Takashi Komeno
- FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd., Toyama 930-8508, Japan; (T.K.); (Y.F.)
| | - Yousuke Furuta
- FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd., Toyama 930-8508, Japan; (T.K.); (Y.F.)
| | - Masayuki Saijo
- Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan; (S.T.); shimoji-@nih.go.jp (M.S.); (M.S.)
| | - Hideki Tani
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan; (H.Y.); (L.T.); (M.K.); (Y.M.)
- Department of Virology, Toyama Institute of Health, Toyama 939-0363, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-766-56-8143; Fax: +81-766-56-7326
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23
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Wang Q, Xin Q, Shang W, Wan W, Xiao G, Zhang LK. Activation of the STAT3 Signaling Pathway by the RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Protein of Arenavirus. Viruses 2021; 13:v13060976. [PMID: 34070281 PMCID: PMC8225222 DOI: 10.3390/v13060976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Arenaviruses cause chronic and asymptomatic infections in their natural host, rodents, and several arenaviruses cause severe hemorrhagic fever that has a high mortality in infected humans, seriously threatening public health. There are currently no FDA-licensed drugs available against arenaviruses; therefore, it is important to develop novel antiviral strategies to combat them, which would be facilitated by a detailed understanding of the interactions between the viruses and their hosts. To this end, we performed a transcriptomic analysis on cells infected with arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), a neglected human pathogen with clinical significance, and found that the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway was activated. A further investigation indicated that STAT3 could be activated by the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase L protein (Lp) of LCMV. Our functional analysis found that STAT3 cannot affect LCMV multiplication in A549 cells. We also found that STAT3 was activated by the Lp of Mopeia virus and Junin virus, suggesting that this activation may be conserved across certain arenaviruses. Our study explored the interactions between arenaviruses and STAT3, which may help us to better understand the molecular and cell biology of arenaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China; (Q.W.); (W.S.); (W.W.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qilin Xin
- UMR754, Viral Infections and Comparative Pathology, 50 Avenue Tony Garnier, CEDEX 07, 69366 Lyon, France;
| | - Weijuan Shang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China; (Q.W.); (W.S.); (W.W.)
| | - Weiwei Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China; (Q.W.); (W.S.); (W.W.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Gengfu Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China; (Q.W.); (W.S.); (W.W.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Correspondence: (G.X.); (L.-K.Z.)
| | - Lei-Ke Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China; (Q.W.); (W.S.); (W.W.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Correspondence: (G.X.); (L.-K.Z.)
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24
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Slow viral propagation during initial phase of infection leads to viral persistence in mice. Commun Biol 2021; 4:508. [PMID: 33927339 PMCID: PMC8084999 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02028-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune evasion of pathogens can modify the course of infection and impact viral persistence and pathology. Here, using different strains of the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) model system, we show that slower propagation results in limited type I interferon (IFN-I) production and viral persistence. Specifically, cells infected with LCMV-Docile exhibited reduced viral replication when compared to LCMV-WE and as a consequence, infection with LCMV-Docile resulted in reduced activation of bone marrow derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) and IFN-I production in vitro in comparison with LCMV-WE. In vivo, we observed a reduction of IFN-I, T cell exhaustion and viral persistence following infection of LCMV-Docile but not LCMV-WE. Mechanistically, block of intracellular protein transport uncovered reduced propagation of LCMV-Docile when compared to LCMV-WE. This reduced propagation was critical in blunting the activation of the innate and adaptive immune system. When mice were simultaneously infected with LCMV-Docile and LCMV-WE, immune function was restored and IFN-I production, T cell effector functions as well as viral loads were similar to that of mice infected with LCMV-WE alone. Taken together, this study suggests that reduced viral propagation can result in immune evasion and viral persistence. Using different strains of the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), Xu, Wang et al. show that a slow viral propagation limits type I interferon (IFN-I) production and viral persistence in mice. This study suggests a reduced viral propagation as a mechanism for immune evasion and viral persistence.
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25
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Foscaldi S, Loureiro ME, Sepúlveda C, Palacios C, Forlenza MB, López N. Development of a Reverse Genetic System to Generate Recombinant Chimeric Tacaribe Virus that Expresses Junín Virus Glycoproteins. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9110948. [PMID: 33203040 PMCID: PMC7696886 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9110948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammarenaviruses are enveloped and segmented negative-stranded RNA viruses that comprise several pathogenic members associated with severe human hemorrhagic fevers. Tacaribe virus (TCRV) is the prototype for the New World group of mammarenaviruses and is not only naturally attenuated but also phylogenetically and antigenically related to all South American pathogenic mammarenaviruses, particularly the Junín virus (JUNV), which is the etiological agent of Argentinian hemorrhagic fever (AHF). Moreover, since TCRV protects guinea pigs and non-human primates from lethal challenges with pathogenic strains of JUNV, it has already been considered as a potential live-attenuated virus vaccine candidate against AHF. Here, we report the development of a reverse genetic system that relies on T7 polymerase-driven intracellular expression of the complementary copy (antigenome) of both viral S and L RNA segments. Using this approach, we successfully recovered recombinant TCRV (rTCRV) that displayed growth properties resembling those of authentic TCRV. We also generated a chimeric recombinant TCRV expressing the JUNV glycoproteins, which propagated similarly to wild-type rTCRV. Moreover, a controlled modification within the S RNA 5′ non-coding terminal sequence diminished rTCRV propagation in a cell-type dependent manner, giving rise to new perspectives where the incorporation of additional attenuation markers could contribute to develop safe rTCRV-based vaccines against pathogenic mammarenaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Foscaldi
- Centro de Virología Animal (CEVAN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; (S.F.); (M.E.L.); (M.B.F.)
| | - María Eugenia Loureiro
- Centro de Virología Animal (CEVAN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; (S.F.); (M.E.L.); (M.B.F.)
| | - Claudia Sepúlveda
- Laboratorio de Virología, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina;
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), CONICET- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - Carlos Palacios
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Dr. César Milstein (CONICET-Fundación Pablo Cassará), Buenos Aires C1440FFX, Argentina;
| | - María Belén Forlenza
- Centro de Virología Animal (CEVAN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; (S.F.); (M.E.L.); (M.B.F.)
| | - Nora López
- Centro de Virología Animal (CEVAN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; (S.F.); (M.E.L.); (M.B.F.)
- Correspondence:
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26
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Development of Reverse Genetics for the Prototype New World Mammarenavirus Tacaribe Virus. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.01014-20. [PMID: 32669332 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01014-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The New World mammarenavirus Tacaribe virus (TCRV) has been isolated from fruit bats, mosquitoes, and ticks, whereas all other known New World mammarenaviruses are maintained in rodents. TCRV has not been linked to human disease, but it has been shown to protect against Argentine hemorrhagic fever-like disease in marmosets infected with the New World mammarenavirus Junín virus (JUNV), indicating the potential of TCRV as a live-attenuated vaccine for the treatment of Argentine hemorrhagic fever. Implementation of TCRV as a live-attenuated vaccine or a vaccine vector would be facilitated by the establishment of reverse genetics systems for the genetic manipulation of the TCRV genome. In this study, we developed, for the first time, reverse genetics approaches for the generation of recombinant TCRV (rTCRV). We successfully rescued a wild-type (WT) rTCRV (a trisegmented form of TCRV expressing two reporter genes [r3TCRV]) and a bisegmented TCRV expressing a single reporter gene from a bicistronic viral mRNA (rTCRV/GFP). These reverse genetics approaches represent an excellent tool to investigate the biology of TCRV and to explore its potential use as a live-attenuated vaccine or a vaccine vector for the treatment of other viral infections. Notably, we identified a 39-nucleotide (nt) deletion (Δ39) in the noncoding intergenic region (IGR) of the viral large (L) segment that is required for optimal virus multiplication. Accordingly, an rTCRV containing this 39-nt deletion in the L-IGR (rTCRV/Δ39) exhibited decreased viral fitness in cultured cells, suggesting the feasibility of using this deletion in the L-IGR as an approach to attenuate TCRV, and potentially other mammarenaviruses, for their implementation as live-attenuated vaccines or vaccine vectors.IMPORTANCE To date, no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved vaccines are available to combat hemorrhagic fever caused by mammarenavirus infections in humans. Treatment of mammarenavirus infections is limited to the off-label use of ribavirin, which is partially effective and associated with significant side effects. Tacaribe virus (TCRV), the prototype member of the New World mammarenaviruses, is nonpathogenic in humans but able to provide protection against Junín virus (JUNV), the causative agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever, demonstrating the feasibility of using TCRV as a live-attenuated vaccine vector for the treatment of JUNV and potentially other viral infections. Here, we describe for the first time the feasibility of generating recombinant TCRV (rTCRV) using reverse genetics approaches, which paves the way to study the biology of TCRV and also its potential use as a live-attenuated vaccine or a vaccine vector for the treatment of mammarenavirus and/or other viral infections in humans.
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Analysis of the Function of the Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus S Segment Untranslated Region on Growth Capacity In Vitro and on Virulence In Vivo. Viruses 2020; 12:v12080896. [PMID: 32824338 PMCID: PMC7474432 DOI: 10.3390/v12080896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a prototypic arenavirus. The function of untranslated regions (UTRs) of the LCMV genome has not been well studied except for the extreme 19 nucleotide residues of both the 5′ and 3′ termini. There are internal UTRs composed of 58 and 41 nucleotide residues in the 5′ and 3′ UTRs, respectively, in the LCMV S segment. Their functional roles have yet to be elucidated. In this study, reverse genetics and minigenome systems were established for LCMV strain WE and the function of these regions were analyzed. It was revealed that nucleotides 20–40 and 20–38 located downstream of the 19 nucleotides in the 5′ and 3′ termini, respectively, were involved in viral genome replication and transcription. Furthermore, it was revealed that the other internal UTRs (nucleotides 41–77 and 39–60 in the 5′ and 3′ termini, respectively) in the S segment were involved in virulence in vivo, even though these regions did not affect viral growth capacity in Vero cells. The introduction of LCMV with mutations in these regions attenuates the virus and may enable the production of LCMV vaccine candidates.
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Abstract
Lassa fever was first described as a clinical entity fifty years ago. The causative agent Lassa virus was isolated from these first known cases. This chapter reviews the key publications on Lassa fever research that appeared in the scientific literature at that time and over the ensuing decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert F Garry
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA. .,Zalgen Labs, LLC, 20271 Goldenrod Lane, Suite 2083, Germantown, MD, 20876, USA.
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29
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Klitting R, Mehta SB, Oguzie JU, Oluniyi PE, Pauthner MG, Siddle KJ, Andersen KG, Happi CT, Sabeti PC. Lassa Virus Genetics. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2020. [PMID: 32418034 DOI: 10.1007/82_2020_212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In a pattern repeated across a range of ecological niches, arenaviruses have evolved a compact four-gene genome to orchestrate a complex life cycle in a narrow range of susceptible hosts. A number of mammalian arenaviruses cross-infect humans, often causing a life-threatening viral hemorrhagic fever. Among this group of geographically bound zoonoses, Lassa virus has evolved a unique niche that leads to significant and sustained human morbidity and mortality. As a biosafety level 4 pathogen, direct study of the pathogenesis of Lassa virus is limited by the sparse availability, high operating costs, and technical restrictions of the high-level biocontainment laboratories required for safe experimentation. In this chapter, we introduce the relationship between genome structure and the life cycle of Lassa virus and outline reverse genetic approaches used to probe and describe functional elements of the Lassa virus genome. We then review the tools used to obtain viral genomic sequences used for phylogeny and molecular diagnostics, before shifting to a population perspective to assess the contributions of phylogenetic analysis in understanding the evolution and ecology of Lassa virus in West Africa. We finally consider the future outlook and clinical applications for genetic study of Lassa virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaëlle Klitting
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Samar B Mehta
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Judith U Oguzie
- African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer's University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Paul E Oluniyi
- African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer's University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Matthias G Pauthner
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Kristian G Andersen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Christian T Happi
- African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer's University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Pardis C Sabeti
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Center for Systems Biology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
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30
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Namineni S, O'Connor T, Faure-Dupuy S, Johansen P, Riedl T, Liu K, Xu H, Singh I, Shinde P, Li F, Pandyra A, Sharma P, Ringelhan M, Muschaweckh A, Borst K, Blank P, Lampl S, Neuhaus K, Durantel D, Farhat R, Weber A, Lenggenhager D, Kündig TM, Staeheli P, Protzer U, Wohlleber D, Holzmann B, Binder M, Breuhahn K, Assmus LM, Nattermann J, Abdullah Z, Rolland M, Dejardin E, Lang PA, Lang KS, Karin M, Lucifora J, Kalinke U, Knolle PA, Heikenwalder M. A dual role for hepatocyte-intrinsic canonical NF-κB signaling in virus control. J Hepatol 2020; 72:960-975. [PMID: 31954207 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatic innate immune control of viral infections has largely been attributed to Kupffer cells, the liver-resident macrophages. However, hepatocytes, the parenchymal cells of the liver, also possess potent immunological functions in addition to their known metabolic functions. Owing to their abundance in the liver and known immunological functions, we aimed to investigate the direct antiviral mechanisms employed by hepatocytes. METHODS Using lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) as a model of liver infection, we first assessed the role of myeloid cells by depletion prior to infection. We investigated the role of hepatocyte-intrinsic innate immune signaling by infecting mice lacking canonical NF-κB signaling (IkkβΔHep) specifically in hepatocytes. In addition, mice lacking hepatocyte-specific interferon-α/β signaling-(IfnarΔHep), or interferon-α/β signaling in myeloid cells-(IfnarΔMyel) were infected. RESULTS Here, we demonstrate that LCMV activates NF-κB signaling in hepatocytes. LCMV-triggered NF-κB activation in hepatocytes did not depend on Kupffer cells or TNFR1 signaling but rather on Toll-like receptor signaling. LCMV-infected IkkβΔHep livers displayed strongly elevated viral titers due to LCMV accumulation within hepatocytes, reduced interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression, delayed intrahepatic immune cell influx and delayed intrahepatic LCMV-specific CD8+ T cell responses. Notably, viral clearance and ISG expression were also reduced in LCMV-infected primary hepatocytes lacking IKKβ, demonstrating a hepatocyte-intrinsic effect. Similar to livers of IkkβΔHep mice, enhanced hepatocytic LCMV accumulation was observed in livers of IfnarΔHep mice, whereas IfnarΔMyel mice were able to control LCMV infection. Hepatocytic NF-κB signaling was also required for efficient ISG induction in HDV-infected dHepaRG cells and interferon-α/β-mediated inhibition of HBV replication in vitro. CONCLUSIONS Together, these data show that hepatocyte-intrinsic NF-κB is a vital amplifier of interferon-α/β signaling, which is pivotal for strong early ISG responses, immune cell infiltration and hepatic viral clearance. LAY SUMMARY Innate immune cells have been ascribed a primary role in controlling viral clearance upon hepatic infections. We identified a novel dual role for NF-κB signaling in infected hepatocytes which was crucial for maximizing interferon responses and initiating adaptive immunity, thereby efficiently controlling hepatic virus replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukumar Namineni
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Virology, Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Zentrum München, Schneckenburgerstrasse 8, 81675 Munich, Germany; Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, Ismaningerstraße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Tracy O'Connor
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, Ismaningerstraße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Suzanne Faure-Dupuy
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pål Johansen
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Gloriastrasse 31, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Riedl
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kaijing Liu
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Haifeng Xu
- Institute of Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, Essen 45147, Germany
| | - Indrabahadur Singh
- Emmy Noether Research Group Epigenetic Machineries and Cancer, Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Prashant Shinde
- Department of Molecular Medicine II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Universitätstr.1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Fanghui Li
- Institute of Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, Essen 45147, Germany
| | - Aleksandra Pandyra
- Institute of Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, Essen 45147, Germany
| | - Piyush Sharma
- Institute of Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, Essen 45147, Germany; Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA, 38105
| | - Marc Ringelhan
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Virology, Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Zentrum München, Schneckenburgerstrasse 8, 81675 Munich, Germany; Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Andreas Muschaweckh
- Klinikum rechts der Isar, Department of Neurology, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Katharina Borst
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Hanover Medical School and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Brunswick, Germany
| | - Patrick Blank
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Hanover Medical School and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Brunswick, Germany
| | - Sandra Lampl
- Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, Ismaningerstraße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Katharina Neuhaus
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David Durantel
- INSERM, U1052, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Université de Lyon (UCBL1), CNRS UMR 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Rayan Farhat
- INSERM, U1052, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Université de Lyon (UCBL1), CNRS UMR 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Achim Weber
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Lenggenhager
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas M Kündig
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Gloriastrasse 31, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Peter Staeheli
- Institute of Virology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ulrike Protzer
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Virology, Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Zentrum München, Schneckenburgerstrasse 8, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Dirk Wohlleber
- Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, Ismaningerstraße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Bernhard Holzmann
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Marco Binder
- Research Group "Dynamics of Early Viral Infection and the Innate Antiviral Response", Division Virus-Associated Carcinogenesis (F170), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kai Breuhahn
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Jacob Nattermann
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Maude Rolland
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Signal Transduction, GIGA-Institute, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Dejardin
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Signal Transduction, GIGA-Institute, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Philipp A Lang
- Department of Molecular Medicine II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Universitätstr.1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Karl S Lang
- Institute of Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, Essen 45147, Germany
| | - Michael Karin
- Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Signal Transduction, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego (UCSD), 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Julie Lucifora
- INSERM, U1052, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Université de Lyon (UCBL1), CNRS UMR 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Ulrich Kalinke
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Hanover Medical School and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Brunswick, Germany
| | - Percy A Knolle
- Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, Ismaningerstraße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Mathias Heikenwalder
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Virology, Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Zentrum München, Schneckenburgerstrasse 8, 81675 Munich, Germany; Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, Ismaningerstraße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany.
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Olschewski S, Cusack S, Rosenthal M. The Cap-Snatching Mechanism of Bunyaviruses. Trends Microbiol 2020; 28:293-303. [PMID: 31948728 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In common with all segmented negative-sense RNA viruses, bunyavirus transcripts contain heterologous sequences at their 5' termini originating from capped host cell RNAs. These heterologous sequences are acquired by a so-called cap-snatching mechanism. Whereas for nuclear replicating influenza virus the source of capped primers as well as the cap-binding and endonuclease activities of the viral polymerase needed for cap snatching have been functionally and structurally well characterized, our knowledge on the expected counterparts of cytoplasmic replicating bunyaviruses is still limited and controversial. This review focuses on the cap-snatching mechanism of bunyaviruses in the light of recent structural and functional data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silke Olschewski
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Department of Virology, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Maria Rosenthal
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Department of Virology, Hamburg, Germany.
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32
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Cubitt B, Ortiz-Riano E, Cheng BY, Kim YJ, Yeh CD, Chen CZ, Southall NOE, Zheng W, Martinez-Sobrido L, de la Torre JC. A cell-based, infectious-free, platform to identify inhibitors of lassa virus ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) activity. Antiviral Res 2020; 173:104667. [PMID: 31786250 PMCID: PMC6954049 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2019.104667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The mammarenavirus Lassa (LASV) is highly prevalent in West Africa where it infects several hundred thousand individuals annually resulting in a high number of Lassa fever (LF) cases, a febrile disease associated with high morbidity and significant mortality. Mounting evidence indicates that the worldwide-distributed prototypic mammarenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a neglected human pathogen of clinical significance. There are not Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed vaccines and current anti-mammarenavirus therapy is limited to an off-label use of ribavirin that is only partially effective and can cause significant side effects. Therefore, there is an unmet need for novel antiviral drugs to combat LASV. This task would be facilitated by the implementation of high throughput screens (HTS) to identify inhibitors of the activity of the virus ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) responsible for directing virus RNA genome replication and gene transcription. The use of live LASV for this purpose is jeopardized by the requirement of biosafety level 4 (BSL4) containment. We have developed a virus-free cell platform, where expression levels of reporter genes serve as accurate surrogates of vRNP activity, to develop cell-based assays compatible with HTS to identify inhibitors of LASV and LCMV mammarenavirus vRNP activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Cubitt
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Emilio Ortiz-Riano
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Benson Yh Cheng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Yu-Jin Kim
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Charles D Yeh
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Catherine Z Chen
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - N O E Southall
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Wei Zheng
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Luis Martinez-Sobrido
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Juan C de la Torre
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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33
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[Molecular mechanisms of highly pathogenic viruses' replication and their applications for a novel drug discovery]. Uirusu 2020; 70:69-82. [PMID: 33967116 DOI: 10.2222/jsv.70.69] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Productive (lytic) replication of DNA viruses elicits host cell DNA damage responses, which cause both beneficial and detrimental effects on viral replication. Viruses utilize them and selectively cancel the 'noisy' downstream signaling pathways, leading to maintain high S-phase CDK activities required for viral replication. To achieve this fine tuning of cellular environment, herpesviruses encode many (>70) genes in their genome, which are expressed in a strictly regulated temporal cascade (immediate-early, early, and late). Here, I introduce and discuss how Epstein-Barr virus, an oncogenic herpesvirus, hijacks the cellular environment and adapt it for the progeny production.
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Beitzel B, Hulseberg CE, Palacios G. Reverse genetics systems as tools to overcome the genetic diversity of Lassa virus. Curr Opin Virol 2019; 37:91-96. [PMID: 31357141 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2019.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Lassa virus is endemic in a large area of sub-Saharan Africa, and exhibits a large amount of genetic diversity. Of the four currently recognized lineages, lineages I-III circulate in Nigeria, and lineage IV circulates in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. However, several newly detected lineages have been proposed. LASV genetic diversity may result in differences in pathogenicity or response to medical countermeasures, necessitating the testing of multiple lineages during the development of countermeasures and diagnostics. Logistical and biosafety concerns can make it difficult to obtain representative collections of divergent LASV clades for comparison studies. For example, lack of a cold chain in remote areas, or shipping restrictions on live viruses can prevent the dissemination of natural virus isolates to researchers. Reverse genetics systems that have been developed for LASV can facilitate acquisition of hard-to-obtain LASV strains and enable comprehensive development of medical countermeasures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett Beitzel
- Center for Genome Sciences, The United States Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Disease, 1425 Porter St., Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, United States
| | - Christine E Hulseberg
- Center for Genome Sciences, The United States Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Disease, 1425 Porter St., Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, United States
| | - Gustavo Palacios
- Center for Genome Sciences, The United States Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Disease, 1425 Porter St., Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, United States.
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Wendt L, Bostedt L, Hoenen T, Groseth A. High-throughput screening for negative-stranded hemorrhagic fever viruses using reverse genetics. Antiviral Res 2019; 170:104569. [PMID: 31356830 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2019.104569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) cause thousands of fatalities every year, but the treatment options for their management remain very limited. In particular, the development of therapeutic interventions is restricted by the lack of commercial viability of drugs targeting individual VHF agents. This makes approaches like drug repurposing and/or the identification of broad range therapies (i.e. those directed at host responses or common proviral factors) highly attractive. However, the identification of candidates for such antiviral repurposing or of host factors/pathways important for the virus life cycle is reliant on high-throughput screening (HTS). Recently, such screening work has been increasingly facilitated by the availability of reverse genetics-based approaches, including tools such as full-length clone (FLC) systems to generate reporter-expressing viruses or various life cycle modelling (LCM) systems, many of which have been developed and/or greatly improved during the last years. In particular, since LCM systems are capable of modelling specific steps in the life cycle, they are a valuable tool for both targeted screening (i.e. for inhibitors of a specific pathway) and mechanism of action studies. This review seeks to summarize the currently available reverse genetics systems for negative-sense VHF causing viruses (i.e. arenaviruses, bunyaviruses and filoviruses), and to highlight the recent advancements made in applying these systems for HTS to identify either antivirals or new virus-host interactions that might hold promise for the development of future treatments for the infections caused by these deadly but neglected virus groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Wendt
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Linus Bostedt
- Junior Research Group - Arenavirus Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Thomas Hoenen
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Allison Groseth
- Junior Research Group - Arenavirus Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany.
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36
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Rescue of Infectious Recombinant Hazara Nairovirus from cDNA Reveals the Nucleocapsid Protein DQVD Caspase Cleavage Motif Performs an Essential Role other than Cleavage. J Virol 2019; 93:JVI.00616-19. [PMID: 31118258 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00616-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The Nairoviridae family of the Bunyavirales order comprises tick-borne, trisegmented, negative-strand RNA viruses, with several members being associated with serious or fatal diseases in humans and animals. A notable member is Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), which is the most widely distributed tick-borne pathogen and is associated with devastating human disease, with case fatality rates averaging 30%. Hazara virus (HAZV) is closely related to CCHFV, sharing the same serogroup and many structural, biochemical, and cellular properties. To improve understanding of HAZV and nairovirus multiplication cycles, we developed, for the first time, a rescue system permitting efficient recovery of infectious HAZV from cDNA. This system now allows reverse genetic analysis of nairoviruses without the need for high-level biosafety containment, as is required for CCHFV. We used this system to test the importance of a DQVD caspase cleavage site exposed on the apex of the HAZV nucleocapsid protein arm domain that is cleaved during HAZV infection, for which the equivalent DEVD sequence was recently shown to be important for CCHFV growth in tick but not mammalian cells. Infectious HAZV bearing an uncleavable DQVE sequence was rescued and exhibited growth parameters equivalent to those of wild-type virus in both mammalian and tick cells, showing this site was dispensable for virus multiplication. In contrast, substitution of the DQVD motif with the similarly uncleavable AQVA sequence could not be rescued despite repeated efforts. Together, these results highlight the importance of this caspase cleavage site in the HAZV life cycle but reveal the DQVD sequence performs a critical role aside from caspase cleavage.IMPORTANCE HAZV is classified within the Nairoviridae family with CCHFV, which is one of the most lethal human pathogens in existence, requiring the highest biosafety level (BSL) containment (BSL4). In contrast, HAZV is not associated with human disease and thus can be studied using less-restrictive BSL2 protocols. Here, we report a system that is able to rescue HAZV from cDNAs, thus permitting reverse genetic interrogation of the HAZV replication cycle. We used this system to examine the role of a caspase cleavage site, DQVD, within the HAZV nucleocapsid protein that is also conserved in CCHFV. By engineering mutant viruses, we showed caspase cleavage at this site was not required for productive infection and this sequence performs a critical role in the virus life cycle aside from caspase cleavage. This system will accelerate nairovirus research due to its efficiency and utility under amenable BSL2 protocols.
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37
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[Arenavirus research and antiviral candidate]. Uirusu 2019; 68:51-62. [PMID: 31105135 DOI: 10.2222/jsv.68.51] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Arenavirus is a genetic term for viruses belonging to the family Arenaviridae and is presented from lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), which shows almost no pathogenicity to humans, to Lassa virus, Junin virus, Machupo virus, Chapare virus, Lujo virus, Sabia virus, and Guanarito virus, which shows high pathogenicity to humans. These viruses except for LCMV are risk group 4 pathogens specified by World Health Organization. Based on this designation, it is designated as Class I pathogens in Japan. Although there have been no reports excluding one imported case of the Lassa fever patient, it is not surprising whenever imported cases occur in our country. Considering the disease severity and mortality rate, it is an urgent matter to develop vaccines and therapeutic drugs in endemic areas, and maintenances of these are also important in countries other than endemic areas. However, basic research on highly pathogenic arenavirus infections and development of therapeutic drugs are not easily progressed, because handling in highly safe research facilities is indispensable. In this article, we will outline the current knowledge from the recent basic research on arenavirus to the development situation of antivirals against arenaviruses.
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38
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Brisse ME, Ly H. Hemorrhagic Fever-Causing Arenaviruses: Lethal Pathogens and Potent Immune Suppressors. Front Immunol 2019; 10:372. [PMID: 30918506 PMCID: PMC6424867 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemorrhagic fevers (HF) resulting from pathogenic arenaviral infections have traditionally been neglected as tropical diseases primarily affecting African and South American regions. There are currently no FDA-approved vaccines for arenaviruses, and treatments have been limited to supportive therapy and use of non-specific nucleoside analogs, such as Ribavirin. Outbreaks of arenaviral infections have been limited to certain geographic areas that are endemic but known cases of exportation of arenaviruses from endemic regions and socioeconomic challenges for local control of rodent reservoirs raise serious concerns about the potential for larger outbreaks in the future. This review synthesizes current knowledge about arenaviral evolution, ecology, transmission patterns, life cycle, modulation of host immunity, disease pathogenesis, as well as discusses recent development of preventative and therapeutic pursuits against this group of deadly viral pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan E Brisse
- Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States.,Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Hinh Ly
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
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39
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Loureiro ME, D'Antuono A, López N. Virus⁻Host Interactions Involved in Lassa Virus Entry and Genome Replication. Pathogens 2019; 8:pathogens8010017. [PMID: 30699976 PMCID: PMC6470645 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens8010017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is the causative agent of Lassa fever, a human hemorrhagic disease associated with high mortality and morbidity rates, particularly prevalent in West Africa. Over the past few years, a significant amount of novel information has been provided on cellular factors that are determinant elements playing a role in arenavirus multiplication. In this review, we focus on host proteins that intersect with the initial steps of the LASV replication cycle: virus entry and genome replication. A better understanding of relevant virus⁻host interactions essential for sustaining these critical steps may help to identify possible targets for the rational design of novel therapeutic approaches against LASV and other arenaviruses that cause severe human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Eugenia Loureiro
- Centro de Virología Animal (CEVAN), CONICET-SENASA, Av Sir Alexander Fleming 1653, Martínez, Provincia de Buenos Aires B1640CSI, Argentina.
| | - Alejandra D'Antuono
- Centro de Virología Animal (CEVAN), CONICET-SENASA, Av Sir Alexander Fleming 1653, Martínez, Provincia de Buenos Aires B1640CSI, Argentina.
| | - Nora López
- Centro de Virología Animal (CEVAN), CONICET-SENASA, Av Sir Alexander Fleming 1653, Martínez, Provincia de Buenos Aires B1640CSI, Argentina.
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40
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Ziegler CM, Eisenhauer P, Manuelyan I, Weir ME, Bruce EA, Ballif BA, Botten J. Host-Driven Phosphorylation Appears to Regulate the Budding Activity of the Lassa Virus Matrix Protein. Pathogens 2018; 7:pathogens7040097. [PMID: 30544850 PMCID: PMC6313517 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens7040097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa mammarenavirus (LASV) is an enveloped RNA virus that can cause Lassa fever, an acute hemorrhagic fever syndrome associated with significant morbidity and high rates of fatality in endemic regions of western Africa. The arenavirus matrix protein Z has several functions during the virus life cycle, including coordinating viral assembly, driving the release of new virus particles, regulating viral polymerase activity, and antagonizing the host antiviral response. There is limited knowledge regarding how the various functions of Z are regulated. To investigate possible means of regulation, mass spectrometry was used to identify potential sites of phosphorylation in the LASV Z protein. This analysis revealed that two serines (S18, S98) and one tyrosine (Y97) are phosphorylated in the flexible N- and C-terminal regions of the protein. Notably, two of these sites, Y97 and S98, are located in (Y97) or directly adjacent to (S98) the PPXY late domain, an important motif for virus release. Studies with non-phosphorylatable and phosphomimetic Z proteins revealed that these sites are important regulators of the release of LASV particles and that host-driven, reversible phosphorylation may play an important role in the regulation of LASV Z protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Ziegler
- Department of Medicine, Division of Immunobiology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
| | - Philip Eisenhauer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Immunobiology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
| | - Inessa Manuelyan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Immunobiology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
- Cellular, Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
| | - Marion E Weir
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
| | - Emily A Bruce
- Department of Medicine, Division of Immunobiology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
| | - Bryan A Ballif
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
| | - Jason Botten
- Department of Medicine, Division of Immunobiology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
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41
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Hepojoki J, Hepojoki S, Smura T, Szirovicza L, Dervas E, Prähauser B, Nufer L, Schraner EM, Vapalahti O, Kipar A, Hetzel U. Characterization of Haartman Institute snake virus-1 (HISV-1) and HISV-like viruses-The representatives of genus Hartmanivirus, family Arenaviridae. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007415. [PMID: 30427944 PMCID: PMC6261641 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The family Arenaviridae comprises three genera, Mammarenavirus, Reptarenavirus and the most recently added Hartmanivirus. Arenaviruses have a bisegmented genome with ambisense coding strategy. For mammarenaviruses and reptarenaviruses the L segment encodes the Z protein (ZP) and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and the S segment encodes the glycoprotein precursor and the nucleoprotein. Herein we report the full length genome and characterization of Haartman Institute snake virus-1 (HISV-1), the putative type species of hartmaniviruses. The L segment of HISV-1 lacks an open-reading frame for ZP, and our analysis of purified HISV-1 particles by SDS-PAGE and electron microscopy further support the lack of ZP. Since we originally identified HISV-1 in co-infection with a reptarenavirus, one could hypothesize that co-infecting reptarenavirus provides the ZP to complement HISV-1. However, we observed that co-infection does not markedly affect the amount of hartmanivirus or reptarenavirus RNA released from infected cells in vitro, indicating that HISV-1 does not benefit from reptarenavirus ZP. Furthermore, we succeeded in generating a pure HISV-1 isolate showing the virus to replicate without ZP. Immunofluorescence and ultrastructural studies demonstrate that, unlike reptarenaviruses, HISV-1 does not produce the intracellular inclusion bodies typical for the reptarenavirus-induced boid inclusion body disease (BIBD). While we observed HISV-1 to be slightly cytopathic for cultured boid cells, the histological and immunohistological investigation of HISV-positive snakes showed no evidence of a pathological effect. The histological analyses also revealed that hartmaniviruses, unlike reptarenaviruses, have a limited tissue tropism. By nucleic acid sequencing, de novo genome assembly, and phylogenetic analyses we identified additional four hartmanivirus species. Finally, we screened 71 individuals from a collection of snakes with BIBD by RT-PCR and found 44 to carry hartmaniviruses. These findings suggest that harmaniviruses are common in captive snake populations, but their relevance and pathogenic potential needs yet to be revealed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jussi Hepojoki
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, Medicum, Department of Virology, Helsinki, Finland
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Boid Inclusion Body Disease Group, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Satu Hepojoki
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, Medicum, Department of Virology, Helsinki, Finland
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Teemu Smura
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, Medicum, Department of Virology, Helsinki, Finland
- Boid Inclusion Body Disease Group, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Leonóra Szirovicza
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, Medicum, Department of Virology, Helsinki, Finland
- Boid Inclusion Body Disease Group, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eva Dervas
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Boid Inclusion Body Disease Group, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Prähauser
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lisbeth Nufer
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elisabeth M. Schraner
- Institutes of Veterinary Anatomy and Virology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, Medicum, Department of Virology, Helsinki, Finland
- Boid Inclusion Body Disease Group, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Virology and Immunology, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anja Kipar
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Boid Inclusion Body Disease Group, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Udo Hetzel
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Boid Inclusion Body Disease Group, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Helsinki, Finland
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42
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Hallam SJ, Koma T, Maruyama J, Paessler S. Review of Mammarenavirus Biology and Replication. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1751. [PMID: 30123198 PMCID: PMC6085440 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The family Arenaviridae is divided into three genera: Mammarenavirus, Reptarenavirus, and Hartmanivirus. The Mammarenaviruses contain viruses responsible for causing human hemorrhagic fever diseases including New World viruses Junin, Machupo, Guanarito, Sabia, and Chapare virus and Old World viruses Lassa, and Lujo virus. These two groups of arenaviruses share the same genome organization composed of two ambisense RNA segments. These segments contain four open reading frames that encode for four proteins: the nucleoprotein, glycoprotein precursor, L protein, and Z. Despite their genome similarities, these groups exhibit marked differences in their replication life cycles. This includes differences in attachment, entry, and immune evasion. By understanding the intricacy of replication in each of these viral species we can work to develop counter measures against human diseases. This includes the development of vaccines and antivirals for these emerging viral threats. Currently only the vaccine against Junin virus, Candid#1, is in use as well as Ribavirin for treatment of Lassa Fever. In addition, small molecule inhibitors can be developed to target various aspects of the virus life cycle. In these ways an understanding of the arenavirus replication cycle can be used to alleviate the mortality and morbidity of these infections worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J. Hallam
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Takaaki Koma
- Department of Microbiology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Medical Science, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Junki Maruyama
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Slobodan Paessler
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
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43
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Loureiro ME, Zorzetto-Fernandes AL, Radoshitzky S, Chi X, Dallari S, Marooki N, Lèger P, Foscaldi S, Harjono V, Sharma S, Zid BM, López N, de la Torre JC, Bavari S, Zúñiga E. DDX3 suppresses type I interferons and favors viral replication during Arenavirus infection. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007125. [PMID: 30001425 PMCID: PMC6042795 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Several arenaviruses cause hemorrhagic fever (HF) diseases that are associated with high morbidity and mortality in humans. Accordingly, HF arenaviruses have been listed as top-priority emerging diseases for which countermeasures are urgently needed. Because arenavirus nucleoprotein (NP) plays critical roles in both virus multiplication and immune-evasion, we used an unbiased proteomic approach to identify NP-interacting proteins in human cells. DDX3, a DEAD-box ATP-dependent-RNA-helicase, interacted with NP in both NP-transfected and virus-infected cells. Importantly, DDX3 deficiency compromised the propagation of both Old and New World arenaviruses, including the HF arenaviruses Lassa and Junin viruses. The DDX3 role in promoting arenavirus multiplication associated with both a previously un-recognized DDX3 inhibitory role in type I interferon production in arenavirus infected cells and a positive DDX3 effect on arenavirus RNA synthesis that was dependent on its ATPase and Helicase activities. Our results uncover novel mechanisms used by arenaviruses to exploit the host machinery and subvert immunity, singling out DDX3 as a potential host target for developing new therapies against highly pathogenic arenaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Eugenia Loureiro
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Sheli Radoshitzky
- Molecular and Translational Sciences Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD, United States of America
| | - Xiaoli Chi
- Molecular and Translational Sciences Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD, United States of America
| | - Simone Dallari
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Nuha Marooki
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Psylvia Lèger
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Sabrina Foscaldi
- Centro de Virología Animal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Vince Harjono
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Sonia Sharma
- La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Brian M. Zid
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Nora López
- Centro de Virología Animal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Carlos de la Torre
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Sina Bavari
- Molecular and Translational Sciences Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD, United States of America
| | - Elina Zúñiga
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
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Urata S, Kenyon E, Nayak D, Cubitt B, Kurosaki Y, Yasuda J, de la Torre JC, McGavern DB. BST-2 controls T cell proliferation and exhaustion by shaping the early distribution of a persistent viral infection. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007172. [PMID: 30028868 PMCID: PMC6080785 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The interferon inducible protein, BST-2 (or, tetherin), plays an important role in the innate antiviral defense system by inhibiting the release of many enveloped viruses. Consequently, viruses have evolved strategies to counteract the anti-viral activity of this protein. While the mechanisms by which BST-2 prevents viral dissemination have been defined, less is known about how this protein shapes the early viral distribution and immunological defense against pathogens during the establishment of persistence. Using the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) model of infection, we sought insights into how the in vitro antiviral activity of this protein compared to the immunological defense mounted in vivo. We observed that BST-2 modestly reduced production of virion particles from cultured cells, which was associated with the ability of BST-2 to interfere with the virus budding process mediated by the LCMV Z protein. Moreover, LCMV does not encode a BST-2 antagonist, and viral propagation was not significantly restricted in cells that constitutively expressed BST-2. In contrast to this very modest effect in cultured cells, BST-2 played a crucial role in controlling LCMV in vivo. In BST-2 deficient mice, a persistent strain of LCMV was no longer confined to the splenic marginal zone at early times post-infection, which resulted in an altered distribution of LCMV-specific T cells, reduced T cell proliferation / function, delayed viral control in the serum, and persistence in the brain. These data demonstrate that BST-2 is important in shaping the anatomical distribution and adaptive immune response against a persistent viral infection in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuzo Urata
- National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Department of Immunology and Microbial Science IMM-6, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Kenyon
- Viral Immunology & Intravital Imaging Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Debasis Nayak
- Viral Immunology & Intravital Imaging Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- Center for Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, India
| | - Beatrice Cubitt
- Department of Immunology and Microbial Science IMM-6, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Yohei Kurosaki
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Jiro Yasuda
- National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Juan C. de la Torre
- Department of Immunology and Microbial Science IMM-6, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Dorian B. McGavern
- Viral Immunology & Intravital Imaging Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
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Zaza AD, Herbreteau CH, Peyrefitte CN. Description and characterization of a novel live-attenuated tri-segmented Machupo virus in Guinea pigs. Virol J 2018; 15:99. [PMID: 29879985 PMCID: PMC5992841 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-018-1009-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Machupo virus (MACV) is a member of the Mammarenavirus genus, Arenaviridae family and is the etiologic agent of Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, which causes small outbreaks or sporadic cases. Several other arenaviruses in South America Junín virus (JUNV) in Argentina, Guanarito in Venezuela, Sabiá in Brazil and Chapare in Bolivia, also are responsible for human hemorrhagic fevers. Among these arenaviruses, JUNV caused thousands of human cases until 1991, when the live attenuated Candid #1 vaccine, was used. Other than Candid #1 vaccine, few other therapeutic or prophylactic treatments exist. Therefore, new strategies for production of safe countermeasures with broad spectrum activity are needed. Findings We tested a tri-segmented MACV, a potential vaccine candidate with several mutations, (r3MACV). In cell culture, r3MACV showed a 2-log reduction in infectious virus particle production and the MACV inhibition of INF-1β was removed from the construct and produced by infected cells. Furthermore, in an animal experiment, r3MACV was able to protect 50% of guinea pigs from a simultaneous lethal JUNV challenge. Protected animals didn’t display clinical symptoms nor were virus particles found in peripheral blood (day 14) or in organs (day 28 post-inoculation). The r3MACV provided a higher protection than the Candid #1 vaccine. Conclusions The r3MACV provides a potential countermeasure against two South America arenaviruses responsible of human hemorrhagic fever. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12985-018-1009-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amélie D Zaza
- , Fab'entech, 24 rue Jean Baldassini Bat B 69007, Lyon, France. .,Unité de virologie, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, 1 place Valérie André, 91220, Brétigny-sur-Orge, France.
| | | | - Christophe N Peyrefitte
- Unité de virologie, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, 1 place Valérie André, 91220, Brétigny-sur-Orge, France.,UMR 190, Faculté de Médecine-Timone, 27 boulevard Jean-Moulin, 13385, Marseille, France
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A Highly Conserved Leucine in Mammarenavirus Matrix Z Protein Is Required for Z Interaction with the Virus L Polymerase and Z Stability in Cells Harboring an Active Viral Ribonucleoprotein. J Virol 2018; 92:JVI.02256-17. [PMID: 29593035 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02256-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammarenaviruses cause chronic infections in their natural rodent hosts. Infected rodents shed infectious virus into excreta. Humans are infected through mucosal exposure to aerosols or direct contact of abraded skin with fomites, resulting in a wide range of manifestations from asymptomatic or mild febrile illness to severe life-threatening hemorrhagic fever. The mammarenavirus matrix Z protein has been shown to be a main driving force of virus budding and to act as a negative regulator of viral RNA synthesis. To gain a better understanding of how the Z protein exerts its several different functions, we investigated the interaction between Z and viral polymerase L protein using the prototypic mammarenavirus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). We found that in the presence of an active viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP), the Z protein translocated from nonionic detergent-resistant, membrane-rich structures to a subcellular compartment with a different membrane composition susceptible to disruption by nonionic detergents. Alanine (A) substitution of a highly conserved leucine (L) at position 72 in LCMV Z protein abrogated Z-L interaction. The L72A mutation did not affect the stability or budding activity of Z when expressed alone, but in the presence of an active vRNP, mutation L72A promoted rapid degradation of Z via a proteasome- and lysosome-independent pathway. Accordingly, L72A mutation in the Z protein resulted in nonviable LCMV. Our findings have uncovered novel aspects of the dynamics of the Z protein for which a highly conserved L residue was strictly required.IMPORTANCE Several mammarenaviruses, chiefly Lassa virus (LASV), cause hemorrhagic fever disease in humans and pose important public health concerns in their regions of endemicity. Moreover, mounting evidence indicates that the worldwide-distributed, prototypic mammarenavirus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), is a neglected human pathogen of clinical significance. The mammarenavirus matrix Z protein plays critical roles in different steps of the viral life cycle by interacting with viral and host cellular components. Here we report that alanine substitution of a highly conserved leucine residue, located at position 72 in LCMV Z protein, abrogated Z-L interaction. The L72A mutation did not affect Z budding activity but promoted its rapid degradation in the presence of an active viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP). Our findings have uncovered novel aspects of the dynamics of the Z protein for which a highly conserved L residue was strictly required.
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Miranda PO, Cubitt B, Jacob NT, Janda KD, de la Torre JC. Mining a Kröhnke Pyridine Library for Anti-Arenavirus Activity. ACS Infect Dis 2018; 4:815-824. [PMID: 29405696 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.7b00236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Several arenaviruses cause hemorrhagic fever (HF) disease in humans and represent important public health problems in their endemic regions. In addition, evidence indicates that the worldwide-distributed prototypic arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus is a neglected human pathogen of clinical significance. There are no licensed arenavirus vaccines, and current antiarenavirus therapy is limited to an off-label use of ribavirin that is only partially effective. Therefore, there is an unmet need for novel therapeutics to combat human pathogenic arenaviruses, a task that will be facilitated by the identification of compounds with antiarenaviral activity that could serve as probes to identify arenavirus-host interactions suitable for targeting, as well as lead compounds to develop future antiarenaviral drugs. Screening of a combinatorial library of Krönhke pyridines identified compound KP-146 [(5-(5-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[ b][1,4] dioxin-6-yl)-4'-methoxy-[1,1'-biphenyl]-3-yl)thiophene-2-carboxamide] as having strong anti-lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) activity in cultured cells. KP-146 did not inhibit LCMV cell entry but rather interfered with the activity of the LCMV ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) responsible for directing virus RNA replication and gene transcription, as well as with the budding process mediated by the LCMV matrix Z protein. LCMV variants with increased resistance to KP-146 did not emerge after serial passages in the presence of KP-146. Our findings support the consideration of Kröhnke pyridine scaffold as a valuable source to identify compounds that could serve as tools to dissect arenavirus-host interactions, as well as lead candidate structures to develop antiarenaviral drugs.
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A Proteomics Survey of Junín Virus Interactions with Human Proteins Reveals Host Factors Required for Arenavirus Replication. J Virol 2018; 92:JVI.01565-17. [PMID: 29187543 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01565-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Arenaviruses are negative-strand, enveloped RNA viruses that cause significant human disease. In particular, Junín mammarenavirus (JUNV) is the etiologic agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever. At present, little is known about the cellular proteins that the arenavirus matrix protein (Z) hijacks to accomplish its various functions, including driving the process of virus release. Furthermore, there is little knowledge regarding host proteins incorporated into arenavirus particles and their importance for virion function. To address these deficiencies, we used mass spectrometry to identify human proteins that (i) interact with the JUNV matrix protein inside cells or within virus-like particles (VLPs) and/or (ii) are incorporated into bona fide JUNV strain Candid#1 particles. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that multiple classes of human proteins were overrepresented in the data sets, including ribosomal proteins, Ras superfamily proteins, and endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) proteins. Several of these proteins were required for the propagation of JUNV (ADP ribosylation factor 1 [ARF1], ATPase, H+ transporting, lysosomal 38-kDa, V0 subunit d1 [ATP6V0D1], and peroxiredoxin 3 [PRDX3]), lymphocytic choriomeningitis mammarenavirus (LCMV) (Rab5c), or both viruses (ATP synthase, H+ transporting, mitochondrial F1 complex, beta polypeptide [ATP5B] and IMP dehydrogenase 2 [IMPDH2]). Furthermore, we show that the release of infectious JUNV particles, but not LCMV particles, requires a functional ESCRT pathway and that ATP5B and IMPDH2 are required for JUNV budding. In summary, we have provided a large-scale map of host machinery that associates with JUNV and identified key human proteins required for its propagation. This data set provides a resource for the field to guide antiviral target discovery and to better understand the biology of the arenavirus matrix protein and the importance of host proteins for virion function.IMPORTANCE Arenaviruses are deadly human pathogens for which there are no U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccines and only limited treatment options. Little is known about the host proteins that are incorporated into arenavirus particles or that associate with its multifunctional matrix protein. Using Junín mammarenavirus (JUNV), the causative agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever, as a model organism, we mapped the human proteins that are incorporated into JUNV particles or that associate with the JUNV matrix protein. Functional analysis revealed host machinery that is required for JUNV propagation, including the cellular ESCRT pathway. This study improves our understanding of critical arenavirus-host interactions and provides a data set that will guide future studies to better understand arenavirus pathogenesis and identify novel host proteins that can be therapeutically targeted.
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Khamina K, Lercher A, Caldera M, Schliehe C, Vilagos B, Sahin M, Kosack L, Bhattacharya A, Májek P, Stukalov A, Sacco R, James LC, Pinschewer DD, Bennett KL, Menche J, Bergthaler A. Characterization of host proteins interacting with the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus L protein. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006758. [PMID: 29261807 PMCID: PMC5738113 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRps) play a key role in the life cycle of RNA viruses and impact their immunobiology. The arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) strain Clone 13 provides a benchmark model for studying chronic infection. A major genetic determinant for its ability to persist maps to a single amino acid exchange in the viral L protein, which exhibits RdRp activity, yet its functional consequences remain elusive. To unravel the L protein interactions with the host proteome, we engineered infectious L protein-tagged LCMV virions by reverse genetics. A subsequent mass-spectrometric analysis of L protein pulldowns from infected human cells revealed a comprehensive network of interacting host proteins. The obtained LCMV L protein interactome was bioinformatically integrated with known host protein interactors of RdRps from other RNA viruses, emphasizing interconnected modules of human proteins. Functional characterization of selected interactors highlighted proviral (DDX3X) as well as antiviral (NKRF, TRIM21) host factors. To corroborate these findings, we infected Trim21-/- mice with LCMV and found impaired virus control in chronic infection. These results provide insights into the complex interactions of the arenavirus LCMV and other viral RdRps with the host proteome and contribute to a better molecular understanding of how chronic viruses interact with their host. RNA-dependent RNA-polymerases (RdRps) play a key role in the life cycle of RNA viruses. They interact with cellular proteins during replication and transcription processes and impact the immunobiology of viral infections. This study characterized the host protein interactome of the RdRp-containing L protein of the prototypic arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). Several L protein interactors with proviral and antiviral effects were identified in vitro, and mice lacking the identified L protein interactor TRIM21 exhibited impaired control of chronic LCMV infection. Integration of the L protein interactomes with known RdRp interactomes from other RNA viruses highlighted common and virus-specific strategies to interact with the host proteome, which may indicate novel avenues for antiviral interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kseniya Khamina
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Lercher
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Caldera
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christopher Schliehe
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bojan Vilagos
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mehmet Sahin
- University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine–Haus Petersplatz, Division of Experimental Virology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lindsay Kosack
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anannya Bhattacharya
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Májek
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexey Stukalov
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Roberto Sacco
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Leo C. James
- Division of Protein and Nucleic Acid Chemistry, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel D. Pinschewer
- University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine–Haus Petersplatz, Division of Experimental Virology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Keiryn L. Bennett
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jörg Menche
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Bergthaler
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse, Vienna, Austria
- * E-mail:
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50
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Pontremoli C, Forni D, Cagliani R, Pozzoli U, Riva S, Bravo IG, Clerici M, Sironi M. Evolutionary analysis of Old World arenaviruses reveals a major adaptive contribution of the viral polymerase. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:5173-5188. [PMID: 28779541 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The Old World (OW) arenavirus complex includes several species of rodent-borne viruses, some of which (i.e., Lassa virus, LASV and Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, LCMV) cause human diseases. Most LCMV and LASV infections are caused by rodent-to-human transmissions. Thus, viral evolution is largely determined by events that occur in the wildlife reservoirs. We used a set of human- and rodent-derived viral sequences to investigate the evolutionary history underlying OW arenavirus speciation, as well as the more recent selective events that accompanied LASV spread in West Africa. We show that the viral RNA polymerase (L protein) was a major positive selection target in OW arenaviruses and during LASV out-of-Nigeria migration. No evidence of selection was observed for the glycoprotein, whereas positive selection acted on the nucleoprotein (NP) during LCMV speciation. Positively selected sites in L and NP are surrounded by highly conserved residues, and the bulk of the viral genome evolves under purifying selection. Several positively selected sites are likely to modulate viral replication/transcription. In both L and NP, structural features (solvent exposed surface area) are important determinants of site-wise evolutionary rate variation. By incorporating several rodent-derived sequences, we also performed an analysis of OW arenavirus codon adaptation to the human host. Results do not support a previously hypothesized role of codon adaptation in disease severity for non-Nigerian strains. In conclusion, L and NP represent the major selection targets and possible determinants of disease presentation; these results suggest that field surveys and experimental studies should primarily focus on these proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Pontremoli
- Bioinformatics, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Diego Forni
- Bioinformatics, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Rachele Cagliani
- Bioinformatics, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Uberto Pozzoli
- Bioinformatics, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Stefania Riva
- Bioinformatics, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Ignacio G Bravo
- Laboratory MIVEGEC, UMR CNRS 5290, IRD 224, UM, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Montpellier, France
| | - Mario Clerici
- Department of Physiopathology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Don C. Gnocchi Foundation ONLUS, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Manuela Sironi
- Bioinformatics, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. MEDEA, Bosisio Parini, Italy
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