Herpes simplex virus gE/gI must accumulate in the trans-Golgi network at early times and then redistribute to cell junctions to promote cell-cell spread

Subconfluent ARPE-19 Cells Display Mesenchymal Cell-State Characteristics and Behave like Fibroblasts, Rather Than Epithelial Cells, in Experimental HCMV Infection Studies

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has a broad cellular tropism and epithelial cells are important physiological targets during infection. The retinal pigment epithelial cell line ARPE-19 has been used to model HCMV infection in epithelial cells for decades and remains a commonly used cell type for studying viral entry, replication, and the cellular response to infection. We previously found that ARPE-19 cells, despite being derived from an epithelial cell explant, express extremely low levels of canonical epithelial proteins, such as E-cadherin and EpCAM. Here, we perform comparative studies of ARPE-19 and additional epithelial cell lines with strong epithelial characteristics. We find that ARPE-19 cells cultured under subconfluent conditions resemble mesenchymal fibroblasts, rather than epithelial cells; this is consistent with previous studies showing that ARPE-19 cultures require extended periods of high confluency culture to maintain epithelial characteristics. By reanalyzing public gene expression data and using machine learning, we find evidence that ARPE-19 cultures maintained across many labs exhibit mesenchymal characteristics and that the majority of studies employing ARPE-19 use them in a mesenchymal state. Lastly, by performing experimental HCMV infections across mesenchymal and epithelial cell lines, we find that ARPE-19 cells behave like mesenchymal fibroblasts, producing logarithmic yields of cell-free infectious progeny, while cell lines with strong epithelial character exhibit an atypical infectious cycle and naturally restrict the production of cell-free progeny. Our work highlights important characteristics of the ARPE-19 cell line and suggests that subconfluent ARPE-19 cells may not be optimal for modeling epithelial infection with HCMV or other human viruses. It also suggests that HCMV biosynthesis and/or spread may occur quite differently in epithelial cells compared to mesenchymal cells. These differences could contribute to viral persistence or pathogenesis in epithelial tissues.

Impact of actin polymerization and filopodia formation on herpes simplex virus entry in epithelial, neuronal, and T lymphocyte cells

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) has been known as a common viral pathogen that can infect several parts of the body, leading to various clinical manifestations. According to this diverse manifestation, HSV-1 infection in many cell types was demonstrated. Besides the HSV-1 cell tropism, e.g., fibroblast, epithelial, mucosal cells, and neurons, HSV-1 infections can occur in human T lymphocyte cells, especially in activated T cells. In addition, several studies found that actin polymerization and filopodia formation support HSV-1 infection in diverse cell types. Hence, the goal of this review is to explore the mechanism of HSV-1 infection in various types of cells involving filopodia formation and highlight potential future directions for HSV-1 entry-related research. Moreover, this review covers several strategies for possible anti-HSV drugs focused on the entry step, offering insights into potential therapeutic interventions.

Extragenic suppression of an HSV-1 UL34 nuclear egress mutant reveals role for pUS9 as an inhibitor of epithelial cell-to-cell spread

IMPORTANCE

Herpesviruses are able to disseminate in infected hosts despite development of a strong immune response. Their ability to do this relies on a specialized process called cell-to-cell spread in which newly assembled virus particles are trafficked to plasma membrane surfaces that abut adjacent uninfected cells. The mechanism of cell-to-cell spread is obscure, and little is known about whether or how it is regulated in different cells. We show here that a viral protein with a well-characterized role in promoting spread from neurons has an opposite, inhibitory role in other cells.

The Epstein-Barr Virus Glycoprotein BDLF2 Is Essential for Efficient Viral Spread in Stratified Epithelium

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous human pathogen that infects the majority of the adult population regardless of socioeconomic status or geographical location. EBV primarily infects B and epithelial cells and is associated with different cancers of these cell types, such as Burkitt lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. While the life cycle of EBV in B cells is well understood, EBV infection within epithelium is not, largely due to the inability to model productive replication in epithelium in vitro. Organotypic cultures generated from primary human keratinocytes can model many aspects of EBV infection, including productive replication in the suprabasal layers. The EBV glycoprotein BDLF2 is a positional homologue of the murine gammaherpesvirus-68 protein gp48, which plays a role in intercellular spread of viral infection, though sequence homology is limited. To determine the role that BDLF2 plays in EBV infection, we generated a recombinant EBV in which the BDLF2 gene has been replaced with a puromycin resistance gene. The ΔBDLF2 recombinant virus infected both B cell and HEK293 cell lines and was able to immortalize primary B cells. However, the loss of BDLF2 resulted in substantially fewer infected cells in organotypic cultures compared to wild-type virus. While numerous clusters of infected cells representing a focus of infection are observed in wild-type-infected organotypic cultures, the majority of cells observed in the absence of BDLF2 were isolated cells, suggesting that the EBV glycoprotein BDLF2 plays a major role in intercellular viral spread in stratified epithelium. IMPORTANCE The ubiquitous herpesvirus Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with cancers of B lymphocytes and epithelial cells and is primarily transmitted in saliva. While several models exist for analyzing the life cycle of EBV in B lymphocytes, models of EBV infection in the epithelium have more recently been established. Using an organotypic culture model of epithelium that we previously determined accurately reflects EBV infection in situ, we have ascertained that the loss of the viral envelope protein BDLF2 had little effect on the EBV life cycle in B cells but severely restricted the number of infected cells in organotypic cultures. Loss of BDLF2 has a substantial impact on the size of infected areas, suggesting that BDLF2 plays a specific role in the spread of infection in stratified epithelium.

Human immunoglobulins are transported to HCMV viral envelope by viral Fc gamma receptors-dependent and independent mechanisms

Human cytomegaloviruses (HCMVs) employ many different mechanisms to escape and subvert the host immune system, including expression of the viral IgG Fcγ receptors (vFcγRs) RL11 (gp34), RL12 (gp95), RL13 (gpRL13), and UL119 (gp68) gene products. The role of vFcγRs in HCMV pathogenesis has been reported to operate in infected cells by interfering with IgG-mediated effector functions. We found that gp34 and gp68 are envelope proteins that bind and internalize human IgGs on the surface of infected cells. Internalized IgGs are then transported on the envelope of viral particles in a vFcR-dependent mechanism. This mechanism is also responsible for the incorporation on the virions of the anti-gH neutralizing antibody MSL-109. Intriguingly, we show that gp68 is responsible for MSL-109 incorporation, but it is dispensable for other anti-HCMV antibodies that do not need this function to be transported on mature virions. HCMV-infected cells grown in presence of anti-HCMV monoclonal antibodies generate a viral progeny still infective and possible to be neutralized. This is the first example of a virus carrying neutralizing IgGs on its surface and their possible role is discussed.

Alphaherpesvirus glycoprotein E: A review of its interactions with other proteins of the virus and its application in vaccinology

The viral envelope glycoprotein E (gE) is required for cell-to-cell transmission, anterograde and retrograde neurotransmission, and immune evasion of alphaherpesviruses. gE can also interact with other proteins of the virus and perform various functions in the virus life cycle. In addition, the gE gene is often the target gene for the construction of gene-deleted attenuated marker vaccines. In recent years, new progress has been made in the research and vaccine application of gE with other proteins of the virus. This article reviews the structure of gE, the relationship between gE and other proteins of the virus, and the application of gE in vaccinology, which provides useful information for further research on gE.

Evaluation of the Safety and Immunogenicity of Duck-Plague Virus gE Mutants

Duck plague (DP) is an acute infectious disease in the duck industry. The duck plague virus (DPV) is the pathogen, a subfamily of alphaherpesvirinae. gE is a type I membrane protein that contains three parts: an extracellular domain, a transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic domain. gE is the major virulence determinant of α-herpesvirus. However, the functions of the gE extracellular and cytoplasmic domains have not been reported in DPV. In this study, a gE extracellular domain deletion mutant and a gE cytoplasmic domain deletion mutant were constructed from DPV. Virus replication kinetics showed that the growth titers of both the gE ectodomain-deleted mutant virus and the gE cytoplasmic domain-deleted virus in DEFs were lower than that of the parental virus CHv-50. DPV CHv-gEΔET and DPV CHv-gEΔCT were continuously passed to the 20th passage in DEFs and the 10th in ducklings. The mutant virus DNA after passage was extracted for identification. The results showed that the gE ectodomain and gE cytoplasmic domain deletion mutant viruses have good genetic stability. The ducklings in each group (n=10) were inoculated with the same titers of DPV CHv-gEΔET, DPV CHv-gEΔCT, DPV CHv-ΔgE, and parental CHv-50, respectively. Clinical symptoms and serum antibody levels were detected after inoculation. The results showed that the virulence of DPV CHv-gEΔCT to ducklings was reduced compared with parental CHv-50, while the virulence of DPV CHv-gEΔET to ducklings was significantly reduced. 10⁵ TCID₅₀ DPV CHv-gEΔET or DPV CHv-ΔgE can induce ducklings to produce DPV-specific antibodies, protect the ducklings from virulent CHv challenge. Therefore, DPV CHv-gEΔET may serve as a promising vaccine candidate to prevent and control duck plague.

Construction and Immunogenicity of a Recombinant Pseudorabies Virus Variant With TK/gI/gE/11k/28k Deletion

In China, the re-emerging pseudorabies virus (PRV) variant has caused large-scale outbreaks of pseudorabies in swine herds with classical PRV vaccine immunization since late 2011. Here, a recombinant PRV with TK/gI/gE/11k/28k deletion was constructed based on variant HN1201 strain isolated in 2012, by the bacterial artificial chromosome infectious clones. Compared with the parental virus, the recombinant PRV rHN1201^{TK−/gE−/gI−/11k−/28k−} showed a similar virus grown curve and exhibited smaller plaques. The vaccination of rHN1201^{TK−/gE−/gI−/11k−/28k−} could elicit an earlier and higher level of gB antibody, and the neutralizing antibodies elicited by rHN1201^{TK−/gE−/gI−/11k−/28k−} were effective against both PRV classical and variant strains. Clinically, the body temperature of the pigs immunized with rHN1201^{TK−/gE−/gI−/11k−/28k−} was significantly lower than that of the classical PRV vaccine immunized pigs, and the recombinant PRV could provide effective protection against the challenge with the PRV variant. These results imply that the rHN1201^{TK−/gE−/gI−/11k−/28k−} could be a promising vaccine candidate for the prevention of the current epidemic of pseudorabies in China.

Powassan Viruses Spread Cell to Cell during Direct Isolation from Ixodes Ticks and Persistently Infect Human Brain Endothelial Cells and Pericytes

Powassan viruses (POWVs) are neurovirulent tick-borne flaviviruses emerging in the northeastern United States, with a 2% prevalence in Long Island (LI) deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis). POWVs are transmitted within as little as 15 min of a tick bite and enter the central nervous system (CNS) to cause encephalitis (10% of cases are fatal) and long-term neuronal damage. POWV-LI9 and POWV-LI41 present in LI Ixodes ticks were isolated by directly inoculating VeroE6 cells with tick homogenates and detecting POWV-infected cells by immunoperoxidase staining. Inoculated POWV-LI9 and LI41 were exclusively present in infected cell foci, indicative of cell to cell spread, despite growth in liquid culture without an overlay. Cloning and sequencing establish POWV-LI9 as a phylogenetically distinct lineage II POWV strain circulating in LI deer ticks. Primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMECs) and pericytes form a neurovascular complex that restricts entry into the CNS. We found that POWV-LI9 and -LI41 and lineage I POWV-LB productively infect hBMECs and pericytes and that POWVs were basolaterally transmitted from hBMECs to lower-chamber pericytes without permeabilizing polarized hBMECs. Synchronous POWV-LI9 infection of hBMECs and pericytes induced proinflammatory chemokines, interferon-β (IFN-β) and proteins of the IFN-stimulated gene family (ISGs), with delayed IFN-β secretion by infected pericytes. IFN inhibited POWV infection, but despite IFN secretion, a subset of POWV-infected hBMECs and pericytes remained persistently infected. These findings suggest a potential mechanism for POWVs (LI9/LI41 and LB) to infect hBMECs, spread basolaterally to pericytes, and enter the CNS. hBMEC and pericyte responses to POWV infection suggest a role for immunopathology in POWV neurovirulence and potential therapeutic targets for preventing POWV spread to neuronal compartments. IMPORTANCE We isolated POWVs from LI deer ticks (I. scapularis) directly in VeroE6 cells, and sequencing revealed POWV-LI9 as a distinct lineage II POWV strain. Remarkably, inoculation of VeroE6 cells with POWV-containing tick homogenates resulted in infected cell foci in liquid culture, consistent with cell-to-cell spread. POWV-LI9 and -LI41 and lineage I POWV-LB strains infected hBMECs and pericytes that comprise neurovascular complexes. POWVs were nonlytically transmitted basolaterally from infected hBMECs to lower-chamber pericytes, suggesting a mechanism for POWV transmission across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). POWV-LI9 elicited inflammatory responses from infected hBMEC and pericytes that may contribute to immune cell recruitment and neuropathogenesis. This study reveals a potential mechanism for POWVs to enter the CNS by infecting hBMECs and spreading basolaterally to abluminal pericytes. Our findings reveal that POWV-LI9 persists in cells that form a neurovascular complex spanning the BBB and suggest potential therapeutic targets for preventing POWV spread to neuronal compartments.

The LORF5 Gene Is Non-essential for Replication but Important for Duck Plague Virus Cell-to-Cell Spread Efficiently in Host Cells

Duck plague virus (DPV) can cause high morbidity and mortality in many waterfowl species within the order Anseriformes. The DPV genome contains 78 open reading frames (ORFs), among which the LORF2, LORF3, LORF4, LORF5, and SORF3 genes are unique genes of avian herpesvirus. In this study, to investigate the role of this unique LORF5 gene in DPV proliferation, we generated a recombinant virus that lacks the LORF5 gene by a two-step red recombination system, which cloned the DPV Chinese virulent strain (DPV CHv) genome into a bacterial artificial chromosome (DPV CHv-BAC); the proliferation law of LORF5-deleted mutant virus on DEF cells and the effect of LORF5 gene on the life cycle stages of DPV compared with the parent strain were tested. Our data revealed that the LORF5 gene contributes to the cell-to-cell transmission of DPV but is not relevant to virus invasion, replication, assembly, and release formation. Taken together, this study sheds light on the role of the avian herpesvirus-specific gene LORF5 in the DPV proliferation life cycle. These findings lay the foundation for in-depth functional studies of the LORF5 gene in DPV or other avian herpesviruses.

Release of HSV-1 Cell-Free Virions: Mechanisms, Regulation, and Likely Role in Human-Human Transmission

Herpes simplex virus type 1, or HSV-1, is a widespread human pathogen that replicates in epithelial cells of the body surface and then establishes latent infection in peripheral neurons. When HSV-1 replicates, viral progeny must be efficiently released to spread infection to new target cells. Viral spread occurs via two major routes. In cell-cell spread, progeny virions are delivered directly to cellular junctions, where they infect adjacent cells. In cell-free release, progeny virions are released into the extracellular milieu, potentially allowing the infection of distant cells. Cell-cell spread of HSV-1 has been well studied and is known to be important for in vivo infection and pathogenesis. In contrast, HSV-1 cell-free release has received less attention, and its significance to viral biology is unclear. Here, I review the mechanisms and regulation of HSV-1 cell-free virion release. Based on knowledge accrued in other herpesviral systems, I argue that HSV-1 cell-free release is likely to be tightly regulated in vivo. Specifically, I hypothesize that this process is generally suppressed as the virus replicates within the body, but activated to high levels at sites of viral reactivation, such as the oral mucosa and skin, in order to promote efficient transmission of HSV-1 to new human hosts.

Motor Skills: Recruitment of Kinesins, Myosins and Dynein during Assembly and Egress of Alphaherpesviruses

The alphaherpesviruses are pathogens of the mammalian nervous system. Initial infection is commonly at mucosal epithelia, followed by spread to, and establishment of latency in, the peripheral nervous system. During productive infection, viral gene expression, replication of the dsDNA genome, capsid assembly and genome packaging take place in the infected cell nucleus, after which mature nucleocapsids emerge into the cytoplasm. Capsids must then travel to their site of envelopment at cytoplasmic organelles, and enveloped virions need to reach the cell surface for release and spread. Transport at each of these steps requires movement of alphaherpesvirus particles through a crowded and viscous cytoplasm, and for distances ranging from several microns in epithelial cells, to millimeters or even meters during egress from neurons. To solve this challenging problem alphaherpesviruses, and their assembly intermediates, exploit microtubule- and actin-dependent cellular motors. This review focuses upon the mechanisms used by alphaherpesviruses to recruit kinesin, myosin and dynein motors during assembly and egress.

Viral Interactions with Adaptor-Protein Complexes: A Ubiquitous Trait among Viral Species

Numerous viruses hijack cellular protein trafficking pathways to mediate cell entry or to rearrange membrane structures thereby promoting viral replication and antagonizing the immune response. Adaptor protein complexes (AP), which mediate protein sorting in endocytic and secretory transport pathways, are one of the conserved viral targets with many viruses possessing AP-interacting motifs. We present here different mechanisms of viral interference with AP complexes and the functional consequences that allow for efficient viral propagation and evasion of host immune defense. The ubiquity of this phenomenon is evidenced by the fact that there are representatives for AP interference in all major viral families, covered in this review. The best described examples are interactions of human immunodeficiency virus and human herpesviruses with AP complexes. Several other viruses, like Ebola, Nipah, and SARS-CoV-2, are pointed out as high priority disease-causative agents supporting the need for deeper understanding of virus-AP interplay which can be exploited in the design of novel antiviral therapies.

A putative WAVE regulatory complex (WRC) interacting receptor sequence (WIRS) in the cytoplasmic tail of HSV-1 gE does not function in WRC recruitment or neuronal transport

HSV-1 envelope glycoprotein E (gE) is important for viral egress and cell-to-cell spread but the host protein(s) involved in these functions have yet to be determined. We aimed to investigate a role for the Arp2/3 complex and actin regulation in viral egress based on the identification of a WAVE Regulatory Complex (WRC) Interacting Receptor Sequence (WIRS) in the cytoplasmic tail (CT) of gE. A WIRS-dependent interaction between the gE(CT) and subunits of the WRC was demonstrated by GST-pulldown assay and a role for the Arp2/3 complex in cell-to-cell spread was also observed by plaque assay. Subsequent study of a recombinant HSV-1 gE WIRS-mutant found no significant changes to viral production and release based on growth kinetics studies, or changes to plaque and comet size in various cell types, suggesting no function for the motif in cell-to-cell spread. GFP-Trap pulldown and proximity ligation assays were unable to confirm a WIRS-dependent interaction between gE and the WRC in human cell lines though the WIRS-independent interaction observed in situ warrants further study. Confocal microscopy of infected cells of neuronal origin identified no impairment of gE WIRS-mutant HSV-1 anterograde transport along axons. We propose that the identified gE WIRS motif does not function directly in recruitment of the WRC in human cells, in cell-to-cell spread of virus or in anterograde transport along axons. Further studies are needed to understand how HSV-1 manipulates and traverses the actin cytoskeleton and how gE may contribute to these processes in a WIRS-independent manner.

Anterograde transport of α-herpesviruses in neuronal axons

α-herpesviruses have been very successful, principally because they establish lifelong latency in sensory ganglia. An essential piece of the lifecycle of α-herpesviruses involves the capacity to travel from sensory neurons to epithelial tissues following virus reactivation from latency, a process known as anterograde transport. Virus particles formed in neuron cell bodies hitchhike on kinesin motors that run along microtubules, the length of axons. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and pseudorabies virus (PRV) have been intensely studied to elucidate anterograde axonal transport. Both viruses use similar strategies for anterograde transport, although there are significant differences in the form of virus particles transported in axons, the identity of the kinesins that transport viruses, and how certain viral membrane proteins, gE/gI and US9, participate in this process. This review compares the older models for HSV and PRV anterograde transport with recent results, which are casting a new light on several aspects of this process.

Skin Viral Infections: Host Antiviral Innate Immunity and Viral Immune Evasion

The skin is an active immune organ that functions as the first and largest site of defense to the outside environment. Serving as the primary interface between host and pathogen, the skin’s early immune responses to viral invaders often determine the course and severity of infection. We review the current literature pertaining to the mechanisms of cutaneous viral invasion for classical skin-tropic, oncogenic, and vector-borne skin viruses. We discuss the skin’s evolved mechanisms for innate immune viral defense against these invading pathogens, as well as unique strategies utilized by the viruses to escape immune detection. We additionally explore the roles that demographic and environmental factors, such as age, biological sex, and the cutaneous microbiome, play in altering the host immune response to viral threats.

Viral cell-to-cell spread: Conventional and non-conventional ways

A critical step in the life cycle of a virus is spread to a new target cell, which generally involves the release of new viral particles from the infected cell which can then initiate infection in the next target cell. While cell-free viral particles released into the extracellular environment are necessary for long distance spread, there are disadvantages to this mechanism. These include the presence of immune system components, the low success rate of infection by single particles, and the relative fragility of viral particles in the environment. Several mechanisms of direct cell-to-cell spread have been reported for animal viruses which would avoid the issues associated with cell-free particles. A number of viruses can utilize several different mechanisms of direct cell-to-cell spread, but our understanding of the differential usage by these pathogens is modest. Although the mechanisms of cell-to-cell spread differ among viruses, there is a common exploitation of key pathways and components of the cellular cytoskeleton. Remarkably, some of the viral mechanisms of cell-to-cell spread are surprisingly similar to those used by bacteria. Here we summarize the current knowledge of the conventional and non-conventional mechanisms of viral spread, the common methods used to detect viral spread, and the impact that these mechanisms can have on viral pathogenesis.

Research Note: Duck plague virus glycoprotein I influences cell-cell spread and final envelope acquisition

To determine the role of glycoprotein I (gI) in duck plague virus (DPV), a gI-deleted mutant (BAC-CHv-ΔgI) and a gI-revertant virus (BAC-CHv-ΔgI Rev) were constructed by using a markerless two-step Red recombination system implemented on the DPV genome cloned into a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC). Mutants were characterized on duck embryo fibroblast (DEF) cells compared with wild-type virus. BAC-CHv-ΔgI produced viral plaques on DEF cells that were on average approximately 57.2% smaller than those produced by BAC-CHv-ΔgI Rev and wild-type virus. Electron microscopy confirmed that deleting of gI resulted in nucleocapsids accumulated around the cytoplasm vesicles and few of them could complete the final envelopment process. These results clearly indicated that DPV gI plays significant roles in viral cell-cell spread and viral final envelopment process.

Two Separate Tyrosine-Based YXXL/Φ Motifs within the Glycoprotein E Cytoplasmic Tail of Bovine Herpesvirus 1 Contribute in Virus Anterograde Neuronal Transport

Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) causes respiratory infection and abortion in cattle. Following a primary infection, BHV-1 establishes lifelong latency in the trigeminal ganglia (TG). Periodic reactivation of the latent virus in TG neurons results in anterograde virus transport to nerve endings in the nasal mucosa and nasal virus shedding. The BHV-1 glycoprotein E cytoplasmic tail (gE-CT) is necessary for virus cell-to-cell spread in epithelial cells and neuronal anterograde transport. Recently, we identified two tyrosine residues, Y467 and Y563, within the tyrosine-based motifs ₄₆₇YTSL₄₇₀ and ₅₆₃YTVV₅₆₆, which, together, account for the gE CT-mediated efficient cell-to-cell spread of BHV-1 in epithelial cells. Here, we determined that in primary neuron cultures in vitro, the individual alanine exchange Y467A or Y563A mutants had significantly diminished anterograde axonal spread. Remarkably, the double-alanine-exchanged Y467A/Y563A mutant virus was not transported anterogradely. Following intranasal infection of rabbits, both wild-type (wt) and the Y467A/Y563A mutant viruses established latency in the TG. Upon dexamethasone-induced reactivation, both wt and the mutant viruses reactivated and replicated equally efficiently in the TG. However, upon reactivation, only the wt, not the mutant, was isolated from nasal swabs. Therefore, the gE-CT tyrosine residues Y467 and Y563 together are required for gE CT-mediated anterograde neuronal transport.

HSV-1 Cytoplasmic Envelopment and Egress

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a structurally complex enveloped dsDNA virus that has evolved to replicate in human neurons and epithelia. Viral gene expression, DNA replication, capsid assembly, and genome packaging take place in the infected cell nucleus, which mature nucleocapsids exit by envelopment at the inner nuclear membrane then de-envelopment into the cytoplasm. Once in the cytoplasm, capsids travel along microtubules to reach, dock, and envelope at cytoplasmic organelles. This generates mature infectious HSV-1 particles that must then be sorted to the termini of sensory neurons, or to epithelial cell junctions, for spread to uninfected cells. The focus of this review is upon our current understanding of the viral and cellular molecular machinery that enables HSV-1 to travel within infected cells during egress and to manipulate cellular organelles to construct its envelope.

Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) envelope protein gE subcellular trafficking is contributed by two separate YXXL/Φ motifs within the cytoplasmic tail which together promote efficient virus cell-to-cell spread

Bovine herpesvirus envelope glycoprotein E (gE) and, in particular, the gE cytoplasmic tail (CT) is a virulence determinant in cattle. Also, the gE CT contributes to virus cell-to-cell spread and anterograde neuronal transport. In this study, our goal was to map the gE CT sub-domains that contribute to virus cell-to-cell spread property. A panel of gE-CT specific mutant viruses was constructed and characterized, in vitro, with respect to their plaque phenotypes, gE recycling and gE basolateral membrane targeting. The results revealed that disruption of the tyrosine-based motifs, ₄₆₇YTSL₄₇₀ and ₅₆₃YTVV₅₆₆, individually produced smaller plaque phenotypes than the wild type. However, they were slightly larger than the gE CT-null virus plaques. The Y467A mutation affected the gE endocytosis, gE trans-Golgi network (TGN) recycling, and gE virion incorporation properties. However, the Y563A mutation affected only the gE basolateral cell-surface redistribution function. Notably, the simultaneous Y467A/Y563A mutations produced gE CT-null virus-like plaque phenotypes.

hnRNPA2B1 Associated with Recruitment of RNA into Exosomes Plays a Key Role in Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Release from Infected Cells

hnRNPA2B1, an abundant cellular protein, has been reported to recruit RNAs bearing a specific sequence (EXO motif) into exosomes. We characterized an exosome population averaging 100 ± 50 nm in diameter and containing a defined set of constitutive exosome markers. This population packages microRNAs (miRNAs) and can be directed to block targeted gene expression in a dose-dependent fashion. The objective of this study was to characterize the role of hnRNPA2B1 in the recruitment of miRNA. We report the following four key findings. (i) hnRNPA2B1 is not a component of exosomes produced in HEp-2 or HEK293T cells. Hence, hnRNPA2B1 carries its cargo, at most, to the site of exosome assembly, but it is not itself incorporated into exosomes. (ii) The accumulation of exosomes produced by cells in which the gene encoding hnRNPA2B1 has been knocked out (ΔhnRNPA2B1 cells) was reduced 3-fold. (iii) In uninfected HEp-2 cells, hnRNPA2B1 is localized in the nucleus. In cells infected with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), hnRNPA2B1 was quantitatively exported to the cytoplasm and at least a fraction of hnRNPA2B1 colocalized with a Golgi marker. (iv) Lastly, in ΔhnRNPA2B1 cells, there was a 2- to 3-fold reduction in virus yield but a significant (>10-fold) reduction in HSV-1 released through the apical surface into the extracellular environment. The absence of hnRNPA2B1 had no significant impact on the basolateral export of HSV-1 from infected to uninfected cells by direct cell-to-cell contact. The results suggest that hnRNPA2B1 plays a key role in the transport of enveloped virus from its site of assembly to the extracellular environment.IMPORTANCE In this report, we show that hnRNPA2B1 is not a component of exosomes produced in HEp-2 or HEK293T cells. In herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1)-infected cells, hnRNPA2B1 was quantitatively translocated from the nucleus into the cytoplasm. In infected ΔhnRNPA2B1 cells, Golgi-dependent transport of virus from the apical surface to the extracellular medium was significantly reduced. In essence, this report supports the hypothesis that hnRNPA2B1 plays a key role in the egress of exosomes and HSV-1 from infected cells.

Deletion of the Pseudorabies Virus gE/gI-US9p complex disrupts kinesin KIF1A and KIF5C recruitment during egress, and alters the properties of microtubule-dependent transport in vitro

During infection of neurons by alphaherpesviruses including Pseudorabies virus (PRV) and Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) viral nucleocapsids assemble in the cell nucleus, become enveloped in the cell body then traffic into and down axons to nerve termini for spread to adjacent epithelia. The viral membrane protein US9p and the membrane glycoprotein heterodimer gE/gI play critical roles in anterograde spread of both HSV-1 and PRV, and several models exist to explain their function. Biochemical studies suggest that PRV US9p associates with the kinesin-3 motor KIF1A in a gE/gI-stimulated manner, and the gE/gI-US9p complex has been proposed to recruit KIF1A to PRV for microtubule-mediated anterograde trafficking into or along the axon. However, as loss of gE/gI-US9p essentially abolishes delivery of alphaherpesviruses to the axon it is difficult to determine the microtubule-dependent trafficking properties and motor-composition of Δ(gE/gI-US9p) particles. Alternatively, studies in HSV-1 have suggested that gE/gI and US9p are required for the appearance of virions in the axon because they act upstream, to help assemble enveloped virions in the cell body. We prepared Δ(gE/gI-US9p) mutant, and control parental PRV particles from differentiated cultured neuronal or porcine kidney epithelial cells and quantitated the efficiency of virion assembly, the properties of microtubule-dependent transport and the ability of viral particles to recruit kinesin motors. We find that loss of gE/gI-US9p has no significant effect upon PRV particle assembly but leads to greatly diminished plus end-directed traffic, and enhanced minus end-directed and bidirectional movement along microtubules. PRV particles prepared from infected differentiated mouse CAD neurons were found to be associated with either kinesin KIF1A or kinesin KIF5C, but not both. Loss of gE/gI-US9p resulted in failure to recruit KIF1A and KF5C, but did not affect dynein binding. Unexpectedly, while KIF5C was expressed in undifferentiated and differentiated CAD neurons it was only found associated with PRV particles prepared from differentiated cells.

Herpes Simplex Virus: The Hostile Guest That Takes Over Your Home

Alpha (α)-herpesviruses (HSV-1 and HSV-2), like other viruses, are obligate intracellular parasites. They hijack the cellular machinery to survive and replicate through evading the defensive responses by the host. The viral genome of herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) contains viral genes, the products of which are destined to exploit the host apparatus for their own existence. Cellular modulations begin from the entry point itself. The two main gateways that the virus has to penetrate are the cell membrane and the nuclear membrane. Changes in the cell membrane are triggered when the glycoproteins of HSV interact with the surface receptors of the host cell, and from here, the components of the cytoskeleton take over. The rearrangement in the cytoskeleton components help the virus to enter as well as transport to the nucleus and back to the cell membrane to spread out to the other cells. The entire carriage process is also mediated by the motor proteins of the kinesin and dynein superfamily and is directed by the viral tegument proteins. Also, the virus captures the cell’s most efficient cargo carrying system, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–Golgi vesicular transport machinery for egress to the cell membrane. For these reasons, the host cell has its own checkpoints where the normal functions are halted once a danger is sensed. However, a cell may be prepared for the adversities from an invading virus, and it is simply commendable that the virus has the antidote to these cellular strategies as well. The HSV viral proteins are capable of limiting the use of the transcriptional and translational tools for the cell itself, so that its own transcription and translation pathways remain unhindered. HSV prefers to constrain any self-destruction process of the cell—be it autophagy in the lysosome or apoptosis by the mitochondria, so that it can continue to parasitize the cell for its own survival. This review gives a detailed account of the significance of compartmentalization during HSV pathogenesis. It also highlights the undiscovered areas in the HSV cell biology research which demand attention for devising improved therapeutics against the infection.

Duck plague virus gE serves essential functions during the virion final envelopment through influence capsids budding into the cytoplasmic vesicles

Duck plague virus (DPV), a member of the alphaherpesviruses subfamily, causes massive ducks death and results in a devastating hit to duck industries in China. It is of great significance for us to analyze the functions of DPV genes for controlling the outbreak of duck plague. Thus, glycoproteins E (gE) of DPV, which requires viral cell-to-cell spreading and the final envelopment in herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and pseudorabies virus (PRV), was chosen herein. The gE mutant virus BAC-CHv-ΔgE was constructed by using a markerless two-step Red recombination system implemented on the DPV genome cloned into a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC). Viral plaques on duck embryo fibroblast (DEF) cells of BAC-CHv-ΔgE were on average approximately 60% smaller than those produced by BAC-CHv virus. Viral replication kinetics showed that BAC-CHv-ΔgE grew to lower titers than BAC-CHv virus did in DEF cells. Electron microscopy confirmed that deleting of DPV gE resulted in a large number of capsids accumulating around vesicles and very few of them could bud into vesicles. The drastic inhibition of virion formation in the absence of the DPV gE indicated that it played an important role in virion morphogenesis before the final envelopment of intracytoplasmic nucleocapsids.

Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Spread in Oligodendrocytic Cells Is Highly Dependent on MAL Proteolipid

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is a neurotropic pathogen that can infect many types of cells and establish latent infections in neurons. HSV-1 may spread from infected to uninfected cells by two main routes: by cell-free virus or by cell-to-cell spread. In the first case, virions exit into the extracellular space and then infect another cell from the outside. In the second case, viral transmission occurs through cell-to-cell contacts via a mechanism that is still poorly understood. A third mode of spread, using extracellular vesicles, also exists. In this study, we demonstrate the important role for a myelin protein, myelin and lymphocyte protein (MAL), in the process of cell-to-cell viral spread in oligodendrocytes. We show that MAL is involved in trafficking of virions along cell processes and that MAL depletion produces a significant alteration in the viral cycle, which reduces cell-to cell spread of HSV-1.

Myelin and lymphocyte protein (MAL) is a tetraspan integral membrane protein that resides in detergent-insoluble membrane fractions enriched in condensed membranes. MAL is expressed in oligodendrocytes, in Schwann cells, where it is essential for the stability of myelin, and at the apical membrane of epithelial cells, where it has a critical role in transport. In T lymphocytes, MAL is found at the immunological synapse and plays a crucial role in exosome secretion. However, no involvement of MAL in viral infections has been reported so far. Here, we show that herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) virions travel in association with MAL-positive structures to reach the end of cellular processes, which contact uninfected oligodendrocytes. Importantly, the depletion of MAL led to a significant decrease in infection, with a drastic reduction in the number of lytic plaques in MAL-silenced cells. These results suggest a significant role for MAL in viral spread at cell contacts. The participation of MAL in the cell-to-cell spread of HSV-1 may shed light on the involvement of proteolipids in this process.

IMPORTANCE Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is a neurotropic pathogen that can infect many types of cells and establish latent infections in neurons. HSV-1 may spread from infected to uninfected cells by two main routes: by cell-free virus or by cell-to-cell spread. In the first case, virions exit into the extracellular space and then infect another cell from the outside. In the second case, viral transmission occurs through cell-to-cell contacts via a mechanism that is still poorly understood. A third mode of spread, using extracellular vesicles, also exists. In this study, we demonstrate the important role for a myelin protein, myelin and lymphocyte protein (MAL), in the process of cell-to-cell viral spread in oligodendrocytes. We show that MAL is involved in trafficking of virions along cell processes and that MAL depletion produces a significant alteration in the viral cycle, which reduces cell-to cell spread of HSV-1.

Hitchhiking on the neuronal highway: Mechanisms of transsynaptic specificity

Transsynaptic viral tracers are an invaluable neuroanatomical tool to define neuronal circuit connectivity across single or multiple synapses. There are variants that label either inputs or outputs of defined starter populations, most of which are based on the herpes and rabies viruses. However, we still have an incomplete understanding of the factors influencing specificity of neuron-neuron transmission and labeling of inputs vs. outputs. This article will touch on three topics: First, how specific are the directional transmission patterns of these viruses? Second, what are the properties that confer synaptic specificity of viral transmission? Lastly, what can we learn from this specificity, and can we use it to devise better transsynaptic tracers?

Functional interactions between herpes simplex virus pUL51, pUL7 and gE reveal cell-specific mechanisms for epithelial cell-to-cell spread

Herpes simplex virus spread between epithelial cells is mediated by virus tegument and envelope protein complexes including gE/gI and pUL51/pUL7. pUL51 interacts with both pUL7 and gE/gI in infected cells. We show that amino acids 30-90 of pUL51 mediate interaction with pUL7. We also show that deletion of amino acids 167-244 of pUL51, or ablation of pUL7 expression both result in failure of gE to concentrate at junctional surfaces of Vero cells. We also tested the hypothesis that gE and pUL51 function on the same pathway for cell-to-cell spread by analyzing the phenotype of a double gE/UL51 mutant. In HaCaT cells, pUL51 and gE function on the same spread pathway, whereas in Vero cells they function on different pathways. Deletion of the gE gene strongly enhanced virus release to the medium in Vero cells, suggesting that the gE-dependent spread pathway may compete with virion release to the medium.

Host Src controls gallid alpha herpesvirus 1 intercellular spread in a cellular fatty acid metabolism-dependent manner

Viral spread is considered a promising target for antiviral therapeutics, but the associated mechanisms remain unclear for gallid alpha herpesvirus 1 (ILTV). We previously identified proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src (Src) as a crucial host determinant of ILTV infection. The present study revealed accelerated spread of ILTV upon Src inhibition. This phenomenon was independent of either viral replication or the proliferation of infected cells and could not be compromised by neutralizing antibody. Neither extracellular vesicles nor the direct cytosol-to-cytosol connections between adjacent cells contributed to the enhanced spread of ILTV upon Src inhibition. Further genome-wide transcriptional profile analyses in combination with functional validation identified fatty acid metabolism as an essential molecular event during modulation of the intercellular spread and subsequent cytopathic effect of ILTV by Src. Overall, these data suggest that Src controls the cell-to-cell spread of ILTV in a cellular fatty acid metabolism-dependent manner, which determines the virus's cytopathic effect.

Differential Requirements for gE, gI, and UL16 among Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Syncytial Variants Suggest Unique Modes of Dysregulating the Mechanism of Cell-to-Cell Spread

Like all the herpesviruses, herpes simplex virus encodes machinery that enables it to move through cell junctions to avoid neutralizing antibodies. This cell-to-cell spread mechanism requires the viral fusion machinery (gD, gH/gL, and gB) and numerous accessory proteins. Of all of these, minor alterations to only four proteins (gB, gK, UL20, or UL24) will dysregulate the fusion machinery, allowing the formation of syncytia. In contrast, removal of individual accessory proteins will block cell-to-cell spread, forcing the virus to transmit in a cell-free manner. In the context of a Syn variant, removal of a required accessory protein will block cell fusion, again forcing cell-free spread. This has been investigated most thoroughly for gBsyn variants, which lose their syncytial phenotype in the absence of several accessory proteins, including gE, gI, UL16, and UL21, which are known to physically interact. Recently it was found that UL21 is not needed for gKsyn-, UL20syn-, or UL24syn-induced cell fusion, and hence it was of interest to ascertain whether gE, gI, and UL16 are required for Syn variants other than gBsyn. Null mutants of these were each combined with seven syncytial variants distributed among gK, UL20, and UL24. Surprisingly, very different patterns of accessory protein requirements were revealed. Indeed, for the three gKsyn variants tested, two different patterns were found. Also, three mutants were able to replicate without causing cytopathic effects. These findings show that mutations that produce Syn variants dysregulate the cell-to-cell-spread machinery in unique ways and provide clues for elucidating how this virus moves between cells.IMPORTANCE Approximately 2/3 of adults worldwide are latently infected with herpes simplex virus 1. Upon reactivation, the virus has the ability to evade neutralizing antibodies by moving through cell junctions, but the mechanism of direct cell-to-cell spread is poorly understood. The machinery that assembles between cells includes the viral fusion proteins and various accessory proteins that prevent cells from fusing. Alterations in four proteins will dysregulate the machinery, allowing neighboring cells to fuse to make syncytia, but this can be prevented by removing various individual accessory proteins to further disable the machinery. Previously, the accessory protein UL21 was found to be important for the activity of some syncytial variants but not others. In this study, we discovered that UL16, gE, and gI all act differently in how they control the fusion machinery. A better understanding of the mechanism of cell-to-cell spread may enable the development of drugs that block it.

Role of Rab GTPases in HSV-1 infection: Molecular understanding of viral maturation and egress

Most enveloped viruses exploit complex cellular pathways for assembly and egress from the host cell, and the large DNA virus Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) makes no exception, hijacking several cellular transport pathways for its glycoprotein trafficking and maturation, as well as for viral morphogenesis and egress according to the envelopment, de-envelopment and re-envelopment model. Importantly Rab GTPases, widely distributed master regulators of intracellular membrane trafficking pathways, have recently being tightly implicated in such process. Indeed, siRNA-mediated genetic ablation of specific Rab proteins differently affected HSV-1 production, suggesting a complex role of different Rab proteins in HSV-1 life cycle. In this review, we discuss how different Rabs can regulate HSV-1 assembly/egress and the potential therapeutic applications of such findings for the management of HSV-1 infections.

Virus Assembly and Egress of HSV

The assembly and egress of herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a complicated multistage process that involves several different cellular compartments and the activity of many viral and cellular proteins. The process begins in the nucleus, with capsid assembly followed by genome packaging into the preformed capsids. The DNA-filled capsids (nucleocapsids) then exit the nucleus by a process of envelopment at the inner nuclear membrane followed by fusion with the outer nuclear membrane. In the cytoplasm nucleocapsids associate with tegument proteins, which form a complicated protein network that links the nucleocapsid to the cytoplasmic domains of viral envelope proteins. Nucleocapsids and associated tegument then undergo secondary envelopment at intracellular membranes originating from late secretory pathway and endosomal compartments. This leads to assembled virions in the lumen of large cytoplasmic vesicles, which are then transported to the cell periphery to fuse with the plasma membrane and release virus particles from the cell. The details of this multifaceted process are described in this chapter.

What Goes Around, Comes Around - HSV-1 Replication in Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells

HSV-1 is a very successful human pathogen, known for its high sero-prevalence and the ability to infect a wide range of different cell types, including dendritic cells (DCs). As very potent antigen-presenting cells DCs play an important role in the induction of antiviral immune responses and therefore represent a strategic target for viral-mediated immune escape mechanisms. It is known that HSV-1 completes its gene expression profile in immature as well as in mature DCs, while lytic infection is only found in immature DCs (iDCs). Notably, HSV-1 infected mature DCs (mDCs) fail to release infectious progeny virions into the supernatant. Apart from HSV-1 dissemination via extracellular routes cell-to-cell spread counteracts a yet unknown mechanism by which the virus is trapped in mDCs and not released into the supernatant. The dissemination in a cell-cell contact-dependent manner enables HSV-1 to infect bystander cells without the exposure toward the extracellular environment. This supports the virus to successfully infect the host and establish latency. In this review the mechanism of HSV-1 replication in iDCs and mDCs and its immunological as well as virological implications, will be discussed.

Herpes Simplex Virus gE/gI and US9 Promote both Envelopment and Sorting of Virus Particles in the Cytoplasm of Neurons, Two Processes That Precede Anterograde Transport in Axons

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) anterograde transport in neuronal axons is vital, allowing spread from latently infected ganglia to epithelial tissues, where viral progeny are produced in numbers allowing spread to other hosts. The HSV membrane proteins gE/gI and US9 initiate the process of anterograde axonal transport, ensuring that virus particles are transported from the cytoplasm into the most proximal segments of axons. These proteins do not appear to be important once HSV is inside axons. We previously described HSV double mutants lacking both gE and US9 that failed to transport virus particles into axons. Here we show that gE^- US9^- double mutants accumulate large quantities of unenveloped and partially enveloped capsids in neuronal cytoplasm. These defects in envelopment can explain the defects in axonal transport of enveloped virions. In addition, the unenveloped capsids that accumulated were frequently bound to cytoplasmic membranes, apparently immobilized in intermediate stages of envelopment. A gE-null mutant produced enveloped virions, but these accumulated in large numbers in the neuronal cytoplasm rather than reaching cell surfaces as wild-type HSV virions do. Thus, in addition to the defects in envelopment, there was missorting of capsids and enveloped particles in the neuronal cytoplasm, which can explain the reduced anterograde transport of unenveloped capsids and enveloped virions. These mechanisms differ substantially from existing models suggesting that gE/gI and US9 function by tethering HSV particles to kinesin microtubule motors. The defects in assembly of gE^- US9^- mutant virus particles were novel because they were neuron specific, in keeping with observations that US9 is neuron specific.IMPORTANCE Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and other alphaherpesviruses, such as varicella-zoster virus, depend upon the capacity to navigate in neuronal axons. To do this, virus particles tether themselves to dyneins and kinesins that motor along microtubules from axon tips to neuronal cell bodies (retrograde transport) or from cell bodies to axon tips (anterograde transport). This transit in axons is essential for alphaherpesviruses to establish latency in ganglia and then to reactivate and move back to peripheral tissues for spread to other hosts. Anterograde transport of HSV requires two membrane proteins: gE/gI and US9. Our studies reveal new mechanisms for how gE/gI and US9 initiate anterograde axonal transport. HSV mutants lacking both gE and US9 fail to properly assemble enveloped virus particles in the cytoplasm, which blocks anterograde transport of enveloped particles. In addition, there are defects in the sorting of virus particles such that particles, when formed, do not enter proximal axons.

Molecular association of herpes simplex virus type 1 glycoprotein E with membrane protein Us9

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein E (gE), glycoprotein I (gI), and Us9 promote efficient anterograde axonal transport of virus from the neuron cytoplasm to the axon terminus. HSV-1 and PRV gE and gI form a heterodimer that is required for anterograde transport, but an association that includes Us9 has not been demonstrated. NS-gE380 is an HSV-1 mutant that has five amino acids inserted after gE residue 380, rendering it defective in anterograde axonal transport. We demonstrated that gE, gI and Us9 form a trimolecular complex in Vero cells infected with NS-gE380 virus in which gE binds to both Us9 and gI. We detected the complex using immunoprecipitation with anti-gE or anti-gI monoclonal antibodies in the presence of ionic detergents. Under these conditions, Us9 did not associate with gE in cells infected with wild-type HSV-1; however, using a nonionic detergent, TritonX-100, an association between Us9 and gE was detected in immunoprecipitates of both wild-type and NS-gE380-infected cells. The results suggest that the interaction between Us9 and gE is weak and disrupted by ionic detergents in wild-type infected cells. We postulate that the tight interaction between Us9 and gE leads to the anterograde spread defect in the NS-gE380 virus.

Cell entry mechanisms of HSV: what we have learned in recent years

HSV type-1 and -2 are widespread pathogens producing lifelong infection with multiple sequelae, including oral, ocular and genital disease. The process of herpesvirus entry is a highly complex process involving numerous viral and cellular factors. Entry begins with attachment of virus to the cell surface followed by interactions between viral glycoproteins and cellular receptors to facilitate capsid penetration. The nucleocapsid is then transported along microtubules to the nuclear membrane, where viral DNA is released for replication in the nucleus. The work reviewed here comprises the most recent advancements in our understanding of the mechanism involved in the herpesvirus entry process.

DNA methyltransferase DNMT3A associates with viral proteins and impacts HSV-1 infection

Viral infections can alter the cellular epigenetic landscape, through modulation of either DNA methylation profiles or chromatin remodeling enzymes and histone modifications. These changes can act to promote viral replication or host defense. Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a prominent human pathogen, which relies on interactions with host factors for efficient replication and spread. Nevertheless, the knowledge regarding its modulation of epigenetic factors remains limited. Here, we used fluorescently-labeled viruses in conjunction with immunoaffinity purification and MS to study virus-virus and virus-host protein interactions during HSV-1 infection in primary human fibroblasts. We identified interactions among viral capsid and tegument proteins, detecting phosphorylation of the capsid protein VP26 at sites within its UL37-binding domain, and an acetylation within the major capsid protein VP5. Interestingly, we found a nuclear association between viral capsid proteins and the de novo DNA methyltransferase DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A), which we confirmed by reciprocal isolations and microscopy. We show that drug-induced inhibition of DNA methyltransferase activity, as well as siRNA- and shRNA-mediated DNMT3A knockdowns trigger reductions in virus titers. Altogether, our results highlight a functional association of viral proteins with the mammalian DNA methyltransferase machinery, pointing to DNMT3A as a host factor required for effective HSV-1 infection.

HSV-1 gM and the gK/pUL20 complex are important for the localization of gD and gH/L to viral assembly sites

Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), like all herpesviruses, is a large complex DNA virus containing up to 16 different viral membrane proteins in its envelope. The assembly of HSV-1 particles occurs by budding/wrapping at intracellular membranes producing infectious virions contained within the lumen of cytoplasmic membrane-bound compartments that are then released by secretion. To ensure incorporation of all viral membrane proteins into the envelope, they need to be localized to the appropriate intracellular membranes either via the endocytic pathway or by direct targeting to assembly sites from the biosynthetic secretory pathway. Many HSV-1 envelope proteins encode targeting motifs that direct their endocytosis and targeting, while others do not, including the essential entry proteins gD and the gH/gL complex, and so it has been unclear how these envelope proteins reach the appropriate assembly compartments. We now show that efficient endocytosis of gD and gH/gL and their incorporation into mature virions relies upon the presence of the HSV-1 envelope proteins gM and the gK/pUL20 complex. Our data demonstrate both redundant and synergistic roles for gM and gK/pUL20 in controlling the targeting of gD and gH/L to the appropriate intracellular virus assembly compartments.

The herpes simplex virus 1 UL51 protein interacts with the UL7 protein and plays a role in its recruitment into the virion

The alphaherpesvirus UL51 protein is a tegument component that interacts with the viral glycoprotein E and functions at multiple steps in virus assembly and spread in epithelial cells. We show here that pUL51 forms a complex in infected cells with another conserved tegument protein, pUL7. This complex can form in the absence of other viral proteins and is largely responsible for recruitment of pUL7 to cytoplasmic membranes and into the virion tegument. Incomplete colocalization of pUL51 and pUL7 in infected cells, however, suggests that a significant fraction of the population of each protein is not complexed with the other and that they may accomplish independent functions.

IMPORTANCE

The ability of herpesviruses to spread from cell to cell in the face of an immune response is critical for disease and shedding following reactivation from latency. Cell-to-cell spread is a conserved ability of herpesviruses, and the identification of conserved viral genes that mediate this process will aid in the design of attenuated vaccines and of novel therapeutics. The conserved UL51 gene of herpes simplex virus 1 plays important roles in cell-to-cell spread and in virus assembly in the cytoplasm, both of which likely depend on specific interactions with other viral and cellular proteins. Here we identify one of those interactions with the product of another conserved herpesvirus gene, UL7, and show that formation of this complex mediates recruitment of UL7 to membranes and to the virion.

Herpes simplex virus gE/gI extracellular domains promote axonal transport and spread from neurons to epithelial cells

Following reactivation from latency, there are two distinct steps in the spread of herpes simplex virus (HSV) from infected neurons to epithelial cells: (i) anterograde axonal transport of virus particles from neuron bodies to axon tips and (ii) exocytosis and spread of extracellular virions across cell junctions into adjacent epithelial cells. The HSV heterodimeric glycoprotein gE/gI is important for anterograde axonal transport, and gE/gI cytoplasmic domains play important roles in sorting of virus particles into axons. However, the roles of the large (∼400-residue) gE/gI extracellular (ET) domains in both axonal transport and neuron-to-epithelial cell spread have not been characterized. Two gE mutants, gE-277 and gE-348, contain small insertions in the gE ET domain, fold normally, form gE/gI heterodimers, and are incorporated into virions. Both gE-277 and gE-348 did not function in anterograde axonal transport; there were markedly reduced numbers of viral capsids and glycoproteins compared with wild-type HSV. The defects in axonal transport were manifest in neuronal cell bodies, involving missorting of HSV capsids before entry into proximal axons. Although there were diminished numbers of mutant gE-348 capsids and glycoproteins in distal axons, there was efficient spread to adjacent epithelial cells, similar to wild-type HSV. In contrast, virus particles produced by HSV gE-277 spread poorly to epithelial cells, despite numbers of virus particles similar to those for HSV gE-348. These results genetically separate the two steps in HSV spread from neurons to epithelial cells and demonstrate that the gE/gI ET domains function in both processes.

IMPORTANCE

An essential phase of the life cycle of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and other alphaherpesviruses is the capacity to reactivate from latency and then spread from infected neurons to epithelial tissues. This spread involves at least two steps: (i) anterograde transport to axon tips followed by (ii) exocytosis and extracellular spread from axons to epithelial cells. HSV gE/gI is a glycoprotein that facilitates this virus spread, although by poorly understood mechanisms. Here, we show that the extracellular (ET) domains of gE/gI promote the sorting of viral structural proteins into proximal axons to begin axonal transport. However, the gE/gI ET domains also participate in the extracellular spread from axon tips across cell junctions to epithelial cells. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in gE/gI-mediated sorting of virus particles into axons and extracellular spread to adjacent cells is fundamentally important for identifying novel targets to reduce alphaherpesvirus disease.

Phenylalanine residues at the carboxyl terminus of the herpes simplex virus 1 UL20 membrane protein regulate cytoplasmic virion envelopment and infectious virus production

The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) UL20 gene encodes a 222-amino-acid nonglycosylated envelope protein which forms a complex with viral glycoprotein K (gK) that functions in virion envelopment, egress, and virus-induced cell fusion. To investigate the role of the carboxyl terminus of the UL20 protein (UL20p) in cytoplasmic virion envelopment, a cadre of mutant viruses was constructed and characterized. The deletion of six amino acids from the carboxyl terminus of UL20p caused an approximately 1-log reduction in infectious virus production compared to that of the wild-type virus. Surprisingly, a phenylalanine-to-alanine replacement at amino acid position 210 caused a gain-of-function phenotype, increasing infectious virus production up to 1 log more than in the wild-type virus. In contrast, the replacement of two membrane-proximal phenylalanines with alanines caused drastic inhibition of infectious virion production and cytoplasmic virion envelopment. Prediction of the membrane topology of UL20p revealed that these two amino acid changes cause retraction of the carboxyl terminus of UL20p from the intracellular space. Confocal microscopy revealed that none of the engineered UL20 mutations affected intracellular transport of UL20p to trans-Golgi network membranes. In addition, a proximity ligation assay showed that none of the UL20 mutations affected UL20p colocalization and potential interactions with the UL37 protein recently found to interact with the gK/UL20 protein complex. Collectively, these studies show that phenylalanine residues within the carboxyl terminus of UL20p are involved in the regulation of cytoplasmic virion envelopment and infectious virus production.

IMPORTANCE

We have shown previously that the UL20/gK protein complex serves crucial roles in cytoplasmic virion envelopment and that it interacts with the UL37 tegument protein to facilitate cytoplasmic virion envelopment. In this study, we investigated the role of phenylalanine residues within the carboxyl terminus of UL20p, since aromatic and hydrophobic amino acids are known to be involved in protein-protein interactions through stacking of their aromatic structures. Characterization of mutant viruses carrying phenylalanine (Phe)-to-alanine (Ala) mutations revealed that the two membrane-proximal Phe residues were critical for the proper UL20p membrane topology and efficient virion envelopment and infectious virus production. Surprisingly, a Phe-to-Ala change located approximately in the middle of the UL20p carboxyl terminus substantially enhanced cytoplasmic envelopment and overall production of infectious virions. This work revealed that Phe residues within the UL20p carboxyl terminus are involved in the regulation of cytoplasmic virion envelopment and infectious virus production.

The herpes virus Fc receptor gE-gI mediates antibody bipolar bridging to clear viral antigens from the cell surface

The Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein gE-gI is a transmembrane Fc receptor found on the surface of infected cells and virions that binds human immunoglobulin G (hIgG). gE-gI can also participate in antibody bipolar bridging (ABB), a process by which the antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) of the IgG bind a viral antigen while the Fc binds to gE-gI. IgG Fc binds gE-gI at basic, but not acidic, pH, suggesting that IgG bound at extracellular pH by cell surface gE-gI would dissociate and be degraded in acidic endosomes/lysosomes if endocytosed. The fate of viral antigens associated with gE-gI-bound IgG had been unknown: they could remain at the cell surface or be endocytosed with IgG. Here, we developed an in vitro model system for ABB and investigated the trafficking of ABB complexes using 4-D confocal fluorescence imaging of ABB complexes with transferrin or epidermal growth factor, well-characterized intracellular trafficking markers. Our data showed that cells expressing gE-gI and the viral antigen HSV-1 gD endocytosed anti-gD IgG and gD in a gE-gI-dependent process, resulting in lysosomal localization. These results suggest that gE-gI can mediate clearance of infected cell surfaces of anti-viral host IgG and viral antigens to evade IgG-mediated responses, representing a general mechanism for viral Fc receptors in immune evasion and viral pathogenesis.

Nelfinavir inhibits maturation and export of herpes simplex virus 1

Nelfinavir (NFV) is an HIV-1 protease inhibitor with demonstrated antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and several other herpesviruses. However, the stages of HSV-1 replication inhibited by NFV have not been explored. In this study, we investigated the effects of NFV on capsid assembly and envelopment. We confirmed the inhibitory effects of NFV on HSV-1 replication by plaque assay and found that treatment with NFV did not affect capsid assembly, activity of the HSV-1 maturational protease, or formation of DNA-containing capsids in the nucleus. Confocal and electron microscopy studies showed that these capsids were transported to the cytoplasm but failed to complete secondary envelopment and subsequent exit from the cell. Consistent with the microscopy results, a light-scattering band corresponding to enveloped virions was not evident following sucrose gradient rate-velocity separation of lysates from drug-treated cells. Evidence of a possibly related effect of NFV on viral glycoprotein maturation was also discovered. NFV also inhibited the replication of an HSV-1 thymidine kinase mutant resistant to nucleoside analogues such as acyclovir. Given that NFV is neither a nucleoside mimic nor a known inhibitor of nucleic acid synthesis, this was expected and suggests its potential as a coinhibitor or alternate antiviral therapeutic agent in cases of resistance.

IMPORTANCE

Nelfinavir (NFV) is a clinically important antiviral drug that inhibits production of infectious HIV. It was reported to inhibit herpesviruses in cell culture. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infections are common and often associated with several diseases. The studies we describe here confirm and extend earlier findings by investigating how NFV interferes with HSV-1 replication. We show that early steps in virus formation (e.g., assembly of DNA-containing capsids in the nucleus and their movement into the cytoplasm) appear to be unaffected by NFV, whereas later steps (e.g., final envelopment in the cytoplasm and release of infectious virus from the cell) are severely restricted by the drug. Our findings provide the first insight into how NFV inhibits HSV-1 replication and suggest that this drug may have applications for studying the herpesvirus envelopment process. Additionally, NFV may have therapeutic value alone or in combination with other antivirals in treating herpesvirus infections.

The herpes simplex virus 1 UL51 gene product has cell type-specific functions in cell-to-cell spread

The herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) UL51 gene encodes a 244-amino-acid (aa) palmitoylated protein that is conserved in all herpesviruses. The alphaherpesvirus UL51 (pUL51) protein has been reported to function in nuclear egress and cytoplasmic envelopment. No complete deletion has been generated because of the overlap of the UL51 coding sequence 5' end with the UL52 promoter sequences, but partial deletions generated in HSV and pseudorabies virus (PrV) suggest an additional function in epithelial cell-to-cell spread. Here we show partial uncoupling of the replication, release, and cell-to-cell spread functions of HSV-1 pUL51 in two ways. Viruses in which aa 73 to 244 were deleted from pUL51 or in which a conserved YXXΦ motif near the N terminus was altered showed cell-specific defects in spread that cannot be accounted for by defects in replication and virus release. Also, a cell line that expresses C-terminally enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-tagged pUL51 supported normal virus replication and release into the medium but the formation of only small plaques. This cell line also failed to support normal localization of gE to cell junctions. gE and pUL51 partially colocalized in infected cells, and these two proteins could be coimmunoprecipitated from infected cells, suggesting that they can form a complex during infection. The cell-to-cell spread defect associated with the pUL51 mutation was more severe than that associated with gE-null virus, suggesting that pUL51 has gE-independent functions in epithelial cell spread.

IMPORTANCE

Herpesviruses establish and reactivate from lifelong latency in their hosts. When they reactivate, they are able to spread within their hosts despite the presence of a potent immune response that includes neutralizing antibody. This ability is derived in part from a specialized mechanism for virus spread between cells. Cell-to-cell spread is a conserved property of herpesviruses that likely relies on conserved viral genes. An understanding of their function may aid in the design of vaccines and therapeutics. Here we show that one of the conserved viral genes, UL51, has an important role in cell-to-cell spread in addition to its previously demonstrated role in virus assembly. We find that its function depends on the type of cell that is infected, and we show that it interacts with and modulates the function of another viral spread factor, gE.

Polarized cell migration during cell-to-cell transmission of herpes simplex virus in human skin keratinocytes

In addition to transmission involving extracellular free particles, a generally accepted model of virus propagation is one wherein virus replicates in one cell, producing infectious particles that transmit to the next cell via cell junctions or induced polarized contacts. This mechanism of spread is especially important in the presence of neutralizing antibody, and the concept underpins analysis of virus spread, plaque size, viral and host functions, and general mechanisms of virus propagation. Here, we demonstrate a novel process involved in cell-to-cell transmission of herpes simplex virus (HSV) in human skin cells that has not previously been appreciated. Using time-lapse microscopy of fluorescent viruses, we show that HSV infection induces the polarized migration of skin cells into the site of infection. In the presence of neutralizing antibody, uninfected skin cells migrate to the initial site of infection and spread over infected cells to become infected in a spatially confined cluster containing hundreds of cells. The cells in this cluster do not undergo cytocidal cell lysis but harbor abundant enveloped particles within cells and cell-free virus within interstitial regions below the cluster surface. Cells at the base and outside the cluster were generally negative for virus immediate-early expression. We further show, using spatially separated monolayer assays, that at least one component of this induced migration is the paracrine stimulation of a cytotactic response from infected cells to uninfected cells. The existence of this process changes our concept of virus transmission and the potential functions, virus, and host factors involved.

Rapid localized spread and immunologic containment define Herpes simplex virus-2 reactivation in the human genital tract

Herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) is shed episodically, leading to occasional genital ulcers and efficient transmission. The biology explaining highly variable shedding patterns, in an infected person over time, is poorly understood. We sampled the genital tract for HSV DNA at several time intervals and concurrently at multiple sites, and derived a spatial mathematical model to characterize dynamics of HSV-2 reactivation. The model reproduced heterogeneity in shedding episode duration and viral production, and predicted rapid early viral expansion, rapid late decay, and wide spatial dispersion of HSV replication during episodes. In simulations, HSV-2 spread locally within single ulcers to thousands of epithelial cells in <12 hr, but host immune responses eliminated infected cells in <24 hr; secondary ulcers formed following spatial propagation of cell-free HSV-2, allowing for episode prolongation. We conclude that HSV-2 infection is characterized by extremely rapid virological growth and containment at multiple contemporaneous sites within genital epithelium. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00288.001.

Function of glycoprotein E of herpes simplex virus requires coordinated assembly of three tegument proteins on its cytoplasmic tail

Glycoprotein E (gE) of HSV plays a key role in cell-to-cell spread and virus-induced cell fusion. Here, we report that this function of gE requires the cooperation of tegument proteins UL11, UL16, and UL21. We found that the four proteins come together with very high efficiency to form a complex in transfected cells and in a manner that is regulated and coordinated. In particular, the inefficient interaction of UL16 with each membrane protein (UL11 and gE) observed in pairwise transfections became efficient when other binding partners were present. The significance of these interactions was revealed in studies of viral mutants, which showed that each of these tegument proteins is critical for processing, transport, and biological activity of gE. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms of how gE executes its function and also have implications in understanding HSV assembly and budding.

HSV, axonal transport and Alzheimer's disease: in vitro and in vivo evidence for causal relationships

HSV, a neurotropic virus, travels within neuronal processes by fast axonal transport. During neuronal infection HSV travels retrograde from the sensory nerve terminus to the neuronal cell body, where it replicates or enters latency. During replication HSV travels anterograde from the cell body to the nerve terminus. Postmortem studies find a high frequency of HSV DNA in the trigeminal ganglia as well as the brain. Studies correlating HSV with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been controversial. Here we review clinical evidence supporting such a link. Furthermore, the author describes experimental data showing physical interactions between nascent HSV particles and host transport machinery implicated in AD. The author concludes that the complexity of this relationship has been insufficiently explored, although the relative ease and nontoxicity of a potential anti-HSV treatment for AD demands further study.

Role of adherens junction proteins in differential herpes simplex virus type 2 infectivity in communication-competent and -deficient cell lines

BACKGROUND

Gap junctional intercellular communication decreases with HSV-2 infection. To determine the importance of functional gap junctions for infectivity, we compared HSV-2 growth in communication-competent and -deficient cell lines.

METHODS

HSV-2 infectivity was tested in five cell lines: WB rat liver epithelial cells (communication-competent), WB-aB1 (communication-deficient), WB-a/32-10 (communication-rescued), HeLa (communication-deficient), and Cx43-transfected HeLa (communication-rescued) cells. HSV-2 growth curves and indirect immunofluorescence labeling of viral and cell proteins were performed in wild-type and mutant WB cells.

RESULTS

Although wild-type WB cells were highly permissive for HSV-2 infection, virus production was significantly attenuated in communication-deficient and -rescued mutant WB cells. HeLa exhibited no difference in infectivity between communication-competent and -deficient cell lines. Tight and adherens junction proteins, including zonula occludens-1 and nectin-1, were not different in the WB cell lines. However, E-cadherin levels were elevated and β-catenin was found to co-localize with glycoprotein E, a viral glycoprotein associated with cell-to-cell spread, in the mutant WB cells.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that attenuated viral production in mutant WB cells is due to viral protein co-localization with adherens junction proteins rather than the loss or restoration of functional gap junctions.

Functional hierarchy of herpes simplex virus 1 viral glycoproteins in cytoplasmic virion envelopment and egress

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) viral glycoproteins gD (carboxyl terminus), gE, gK, and gM, the membrane protein UL20, and membrane-associated protein UL11 play important roles in cytoplasmic virion envelopment and egress from infected cells. We showed previously that a recombinant virus carrying a deletion of the carboxyl-terminal 29 amino acids of gD (gDΔct) and the entire gE gene (ΔgE) did not exhibit substantial defects in cytoplasmic virion envelopment and egress (H. C. Lee et al., J. Virol. 83:6115-6124, 2009). The recombinant virus ΔgM2, engineered not to express gM, produced a 3- to 4-fold decrease in viral titers and a 50% reduction in average plaque sizes in comparison to the HSV-1(F) parental virus. The recombinant virus containing all three mutations, gDΔct-ΔgM2-ΔgE, replicated approximately 1 log unit less efficiently than the HSV-1(F) parental virus and produced viral plaques which were on average one-third the size of those of HSV-1(F). The recombinant virus ΔUL11-ΔgM2, engineered not to express either UL11 or gM, replicated more than 1 log unit less efficiently and produced significantly smaller plaques than UL11-null or gM-null viruses alone, in agreement with the results of Leege et al. (T. Leege et al., J. Virol. 83:896-907, 2009). Analyses of particle-to-PFU ratios, relative plaque size, and kinetics of virus growth and ultrastructural visualization of glycoprotein-deficient mutant and wild-type virions indicate that gDΔct, gE, and gM function in a cooperative but not redundant manner in infectious virion morphogenesis. Overall, comparisons of single, double, and triple mutant viruses generated in the same HSV-1(F) genetic background indicated that lack of either UL20 or gK expression caused the most severe defects in cytoplasmic envelopment, egress, and infectious virus production, followed by the double deletion of UL11 and gM.