Fusion from without induced by herpes simplex virus type 1

Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Glycoprotein B from a Hyperfusogenic Virus Mediates Enhanced Cell-Cell Fusion

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) causes significant morbidity and death in humans worldwide. Herpes simplex virus 1 has a complex fusion mechanism that is incompletely understood. The HSV-1 strain ANG has notable fusion and entry activities that distinguish it from wild type. HSV-1 ANG virions fused with the Vero cell surface at 4 °C and also entered cells more efficiently at 15 °C, relative to wild type HSV-1 strain KOS virions, consistent with a hyperfusogenic phenotype. Understanding the molecular basis for the unique entry and fusion activities of HSV-1 strain ANG will help decipher the HSV fusion reaction and entry process. Sequencing of HSV-1 ANG genes revealed multiple changes in gB, gC, gD, gH, and gL proteins relative to wild type HSV-1 strains. The ANG UL45 gene sequence, which codes for a non-essential envelope protein, was identical to wild type KOS. HSV-1 ANG gB, gD, and gH/gL were necessary and sufficient to mediate cell-cell fusion in a virus-free reporter assay. ANG gB, when expressed with wild type KOS gD and gH/gL, increased membrane fusion, suggesting that ANG gB has hyperfusogenic cell-cell fusion activity. Replacing the KOS gD, gH, or gL with the corresponding ANG alleles did not enhance cell-cell fusion. The novel mutations in the ANG fusion and entry glycoproteins provide a platform for dissecting the cascade of interactions that culminate in HSV fusion and entry.

Sperm induction of somatic cell-cell fusion as a novel functional test

The fusion of mammalian gametes requires the interaction between IZUMO1 on the sperm and JUNO on the oocyte. We have recently shown that ectopic expression of mouse IZUMO1 induces cell-cell fusion and that sperm can fuse to fibroblasts expressing JUNO. Here, we found that the incubation of mouse sperm with hamster fibroblasts or human epithelial cells in culture induces the fusion between these somatic cells and the formation of syncytia, a pattern previously observed with some animal viruses. This sperm-induced cell-cell fusion requires a species-matching JUNO on both fusing cells, can be blocked by an antibody against IZUMO1, and does not rely on the synthesis of new proteins. The fusion is dependent on the sperm's fusogenic capacity, making this a reliable, fast, and simple method for predicting sperm function during the diagnosis of male infertility.

Membrane fusion activity of herpes simplex virus 1 glycoproteins from a hyperfusogenic virus

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) causes significant morbidity and death in humans worldwide. Herpes simplex virus 1 has a complex fusion mechanism that is incompletely understood. The HSV-1 strain ANG has notable fusion and entry activities that distinguish it from wild type. HSV-1 ANG virions fused with the Vero cell surface at 4°C and also entered cells more efficiently at 15°C relative to wild type virions, consistent with a hyperfusogenic phenotype. Understanding the molecular basis for the unique entry and fusion activities of HSV-1 strain ANG will help decipher the HSV fusion reaction and entry process. Sequencing of HSV-1 ANG genes revealed multiple changes in gB, gC, gD, gH, and gL proteins relative to wild type HSV-1 strains. The ANG UL45 gene sequence, which codes for a non-essential envelope protein, was identical to wild type. HSV-1 ANG gB, gD, and gH/gL were necessary and sufficient to mediate cell-cell fusion in a virus-free reporter assay. ANG gB, when expressed with wild type gD and gH/gL, increased membrane fusion, suggesting that ANG gB has hyperfusogenic cell-cell fusion activity. Replacing the wild type gD, gH, or gL with the corresponding ANG alleles did not enhance cell-cell fusion. Wild type gC is proposed to facilitate fusion and entry into epithelial cells by optimizing conformational changes in the fusion protein gB. ANG gC substitution or addition also had no effect on cell-cell fusion. The novel mutations in the ANG fusion and entry glycoproteins provide a platform for dissecting the cascade of interactions that culminate in HSV fusion and entry.

Cell Fusion and Syncytium Formation in Betaherpesvirus Infection

Cell–cell fusion is a fundamental and complex process that occurs during reproduction, organ and tissue growth, cancer metastasis, immune response, and infection. All enveloped viruses express one or more proteins that drive the fusion of the viral envelope with cellular membranes. The same proteins can mediate the fusion of the plasma membranes of adjacent cells, leading to the formation of multinucleated syncytia. While cell–cell fusion triggered by alpha- and gammaherpesviruses is well-studied, much less is known about the fusogenic potential of betaherpesviruses such as human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and human herpesviruses 6 and 7 (HHV-6 and HHV-7). These are slow-growing viruses that are highly prevalent in the human population and associated with several diseases, particularly in individuals with an immature or impaired immune system such as fetuses and transplant recipients. While HHV-6 and HHV-7 are strictly lymphotropic, HCMV infects a very broad range of cell types including epithelial, endothelial, mesenchymal, and myeloid cells. Syncytia have been observed occasionally for all three betaherpesviruses, both during in vitro and in vivo infection. Since cell–cell fusion may allow efficient spread to neighboring cells without exposure to neutralizing antibodies and other host immune factors, viral-induced syncytia may be important for viral dissemination, long-term persistence, and pathogenicity. In this review, we provide an overview of the viral and cellular factors and mechanisms identified so far in the process of cell–cell fusion induced by betaherpesviruses and discuss the possible consequences for cellular dysfunction and pathogenesis.

Quantitative assays reveal cell fusion at minimal levels of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and fusion from without

Cell entry of the pandemic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is mediated by its spike protein S. As a main antigenic determinant, S protein is in focus of various therapeutic strategies. Besides particle-cell fusion, S mediates fusion between infected and uninfected cells resulting in syncytia formation. Here, we present sensitive assay systems with a high dynamic range and high signal-to-noise ratios covering not only particle-cell and cell-cell fusion but also fusion from without (FFWO). In FFWO, S-containing viral particles induce syncytia independently of de novo synthesis of S. Neutralizing antibodies, as well as sera from convalescent patients, inhibited particle-cell fusion with high efficiency. Cell-cell fusion, in contrast, was only moderately inhibited despite requiring levels of S protein below the detection limit of flow cytometry and Western blot. The data indicate that syncytia formation as pathological consequence during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can proceed at low levels of S protein and may not be effectively prevented by antibodies.

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Minimal levels of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein can cause cell fusion

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Spike protein displayed on virus-like particles induces fusion from without

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Particle-cell fusion is more sensitive toward neutralization than cell-cell fusion

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Highly sensitive and scalable membrane fusion assays are applicable at BSL-1

Common characteristics and unique features: A comparison of the fusion machinery of the alphaherpesviruses Pseudorabies virus and Herpes simplex virus

Membrane fusion is a fundamental biological process that allows different cellular compartments delimited by a lipid membrane to release or exchange their respective contents. Similarly, enveloped viruses such as alphaherpesviruses exploit membrane fusion to enter and infect their host cells. For infectious entry the prototypic human Herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and -2, collectively termed HSVs) and the porcine Pseudorabies virus (PrV) utilize four different essential envelope glycoproteins (g): the bona fide fusion protein gB and the regulatory heterodimeric gH/gL complex that constitute the "core fusion machinery" conserved in all members of the Herpesviridae; and the subfamily specific receptor binding protein gD. These four components mediate attachment and fusion of the virion envelope with the host cell plasma membrane through a tightly regulated sequential activation process. Although PrV and the HSVs are closely related and employ the same set of glycoproteins for entry, they show remarkable differences in the requirements for fusion. Whereas the HSVs strictly require all four components for membrane fusion, PrV can mediate cell-cell fusion without gD. Moreover, in contrast to the HSVs, PrV provides a unique opportunity for reversion analyses of gL-negative mutants by serial cell culture passaging, due to a limited cell-cell spread capacity of gL-negative PrV not observed in the HSVs. This allows a more direct analysis of the function of gH/gL during membrane fusion. Unraveling the molecular mechanism of herpesvirus fusion has been a goal of fundamental research for years, and yet important mechanistic details remain to be uncovered. Nevertheless, the elucidation of the crystal structures of all key players involved in PrV and HSV membrane fusion, coupled with a wealth of functional data, has shed some light on this complex puzzle. In this review, we summarize and discuss the contemporary knowledge on the molecular mechanism of entry and membrane fusion utilized by the alphaherpesvirus PrV, and highlight similarities but also remarkable differences in the requirements for fusion between PrV and the HSVs.

Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Envelope Cholesterol Facilitates Membrane Fusion

Methyl beta-cyclodextrin (MβCD) treatment of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) reduced envelope cholesterol levels and inhibited viral entry and infectivity in several cell types, regardless of the dependence of entry on endocytosis or low pH. Viral protein composition was similar in MβCD-treated and untreated virions, and ultrastructural analysis by electron microscopy revealed that cholesterol removal did not grossly affect virion structure or integrity. Removal of envelope cholesterol greatly reduced virion fusion activity as measured by fusion-from-without, suggesting that virion cholesterol is critical for the step of membrane fusion. MβCD-treatment of HSV-1 did not reduce viral attachment to the cells nor endocytic uptake of HSV-1 from the cell surface. The pre-fusion form of gB present in the HSV-1 envelope undergoes conformational changes in response to mildly acidic pH. These gB changes occurred independently of envelope cholesterol. Removal of cholesterol compromised virion stability as measured by recovery of infectivity following cycles of freeze-thaw. Taken together, the data suggest that HSV-1 envelope cholesterol is important for viral entry and infectivity due to a critical role in membrane fusion.

Mildly Acidic pH Triggers an Irreversible Conformational Change in the Fusion Domain of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Glycoprotein B and Inactivation of Viral Entry

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) entry into a subset of cells requires endocytosis and endosomal low pH. Preexposure of isolated virions to mildly acidic pH of 5 to 6 partially inactivates HSV infectivity in an irreversible manner. Acid inactivation is a hallmark of viruses that enter via low-pH pathways; this occurs by pretriggering conformational changes essential for fusion. The target and mechanism(s) of low-pH inactivation of HSV are unclear. Here, low-pH-treated HSV-1 was defective in fusion activity and yet retained normal levels of attachment to cell surface heparan sulfate and binding to nectin-1 receptor. Low-pH-triggered conformational changes in gB reported to date are reversible, despite irreversible low-pH inactivation. gB conformational changes and their reversibility were measured by antigenic analysis with a panel of monoclonal antibodies and by detecting changes in oligomeric conformation. Three-hour treatment of HSV-1 virions with pH 5 or multiple sequential treatments at pH 5 followed by neutral pH caused an irreversible >2.5 log infectivity reduction. While changes in several gB antigenic sites were reversible, alteration of the H126 epitope was irreversible. gB oligomeric conformational change remained reversible under all conditions tested. Altogether, our results reveal that oligomeric alterations and fusion domain changes represent distinct conformational changes in gB, and the latter correlates with irreversible low-pH inactivation of HSV. We propose that conformational change in the gB fusion domain is important for activation of membrane fusion during viral entry and that in the absence of a host target membrane, this change results in irreversible inactivation of virions.IMPORTANCE HSV-1 is an important pathogen with a high seroprevalence throughout the human population. HSV infects cells via multiple pathways, including a low-pH route into epithelial cells, the primary portal into the host. HSV is inactivated by low-pH preexposure, and gB, a class III fusion protein, undergoes reversible conformational changes in response to low-pH exposure. Here, we show that low-pH inactivation of HSV is irreversible and due to a defect in virion fusion activity. We identified an irreversible change in the fusion domain of gB following multiple sequential low-pH exposures or following prolonged low-pH treatment. This change appears to be separable from the alteration in gB quaternary structure. Together, the results are consistent with a model by which low pH can have an activating or inactivating effect on HSV depending on the presence of a target membrane.

Herpes simplex virus Membrane Fusion

Herpes simplex virus mediates multiple distinct fusion events during infection. HSV entry is initiated by fusion of the viral envelope with either the limiting membrane of a host cell endocytic compartment or the plasma membrane. In the infected cell during viral assembly, immature, enveloped HSV particles in the perinuclear space fuse with the outer nuclear membrane in a process termed de-envelopment. A cell infected with some strains of HSV with defined mutations spread to neighboring cells by a fusion event called syncytium formation. Two experimental methods, the transient cell-cell fusion approach and fusion from without, are useful surrogate assays of HSV fusion. These five fusion processes are considered in terms of their requirements, mechanism, and regulation. The execution and modulation of these events require distinct yet often overlapping sets of viral proteins and host cell factors. The core machinery of HSV gB, gD, and the heterodimer gH/gL is required for most if not all of the HSV fusion mechanisms.

Herpesvirus Entry into Host Cells Mediated by Endosomal Low pH

Herpesviral pathogenesis stems from infection of multiple cell types including the site of latency and cells that support lytic replication. Herpesviruses utilize distinct cellular pathways, including low pH endocytic pathways, to enter different pathophysiologically relevant target cells. This review details the impact of the mildly acidic milieu of endosomes on the entry of herpesviruses, with particular emphasis on herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). Epithelial cells, the portal of primary HSV-1 infection, support entry via low pH endocytosis mechanisms. Mildly acidic pH triggers reversible conformational changes in the HSV-1 class III fusion protein glycoprotein B (gB). In vitro treatment of herpes simplex virions with a similar pH range inactivates infectivity, likely by prematurely activating the viral entry machinery in the absence of a target membrane. How a given herpesvirus mediates both low pH and pH-independent entry events is a key unresolved question.

Molecular requirement for sterols in herpes simplex virus entry and infectivity

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) required cholesterol or desmosterol for virion-induced membrane fusion. HSV successfully entered DHCR24(-/-) cells, which lack a desmosterol-to-cholesterol conversion enzyme, indicating that entry can occur independently of cholesterol. Depletion of desmosterol from these cells resulted in diminished HSV-1 entry, suggesting a general sterol requirement for HSV-1 entry and that desmosterol can operate in virus entry. Cholesterol functioned more effectively than desmosterol, suggesting that the hydrocarbon tail of cholesterol influences viral entry.

Reversible conformational change in herpes simplex virus glycoprotein B with fusion-from-without activity is triggered by mildly acidic pH

BACKGROUND

The pre-fusion form of the herpes simplex virus (HSV) fusion protein gB undergoes pH-triggered conformational change in vitro and during viral entry (Dollery et al., J. Virol. 84:3759-3766, 2010). The antigenic structure of gB from the fusion-from-without (FFWO) strain of HSV-1, ANG path, resembles wild type gB that has undergone pH-triggered changes. Together, changes in the antigenic and oligomeric conformation of gB correlate with fusion activity. We tested whether the pre-fusion form of FFWO gB undergoes altered conformational change in response to low pH.

RESULTS

A pH of 5.5 - 6.0 altered the conformation of Domains I and V of FFWO gB, which together comprise the functional region containing the hydrophobic fusion loops. The ANG path gB oligomer was altered at a similar pH. All changes were reversible. In wild type HSV lacking the UL45 protein, which has been implicated in gB-mediated fusion, gB still underwent pH-triggered changes. ANG path entry was inactivated by pretreatment of virions with low pH.

CONCLUSION

The pre-fusion conformation of gB with enhanced fusion activity undergoes alteration in antigenic structure and oligomeric conformation in response to acidic pH. We propose that endosomal pH triggers conformational change in mutant gB with FFWO activity in a manner similar to wild type. Differences apart from this trigger may account for the increased fusion activity of FFWO gB.

Structure-function analysis of herpes simplex virus glycoprotein B with fusion-from-without activity

Fusion-from-without (FFWO) is the rapid induction of cell fusion by virions in the absence of viral protein synthesis. The combination of two amino acid mutations in envelope glycoprotein B (gB), one in the ectodomain and one in the cytoplasmic tail, can confer FFWO activity to wild type herpes simplex virus (HSV). In this report, we analyzed the entry and cell fusion phenotypes of HSV that contains FFWO gB, with emphasis on the cellular receptors for HSV, nectin-1, nectin-2 and HVEM. The ability of an HSV strain with FFWO gB to efficiently mediate FFWO via a specific gD-receptor correlated with its ability to mediate viral entry by that receptor. A FFWO form of gB was not sufficient to switch the entry of HSV from a pH-dependent, endocytic pathway to a direct fusion, pH-independent pathway. The conformation of gB with FFWO activity was not globally altered relative to wild type. However, distinct monoclonal antibodies had reduced reactivity with FFWO gB, suggesting an altered antigenic structure relative to wild type. FFWO was blocked by preincubation of virions with neutralizing antibodies to gB or gD. Together with previous studies, the results indicate that the roles of gB in FFWO and in virus-cell fusion during entry are related but not identical. This study also suggests that the FFWO function of gB is not a specific determinant for the selection of HSV entry pathway and that antigenic differences in FFWO gB may reflect its enhanced fusion activity.

Cellular proteasome activity facilitates herpes simplex virus entry at a postpenetration step

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) entry into cells is a multistep process that engages the host cell machinery. The proteasome is a large, ATP-dependent, multisubunit protease that plays a critical role in the maintenance of cell homeostasis. A battery of assays were used to demonstrate that proteasome inhibitors blocked an early step in HSV entry that occurred after capsid penetration into the cytosol but prior to capsid arrival at the nuclear periphery. Proteasome-dependent viral entry was not reliant on host or viral protein synthesis. MG132, a peptide aldehyde that competitively inhibits the degradative activity of the proteasome, had a reversible inhibitory effect on HSV entry. HSV can use endocytic or nonendocytic pathways to enter cells. These distinct entry routes were both dependent on proteasome-mediated proteolysis. In addition, HSV successfully entered cells in the absence of a functional host ubiquitin-activating enzyme, suggesting that viral entry is ubiquitin independent. We propose that proteasomal degradation of virion and/or host proteins is required for efficient delivery of incoming HSV capsids to the nucleus.

Exposure of ichnovirus particles to digitonin leads to enhanced infectivity and induces fusion from without in an in vitro model system

Unlike most viruses, the mature ichnovirus particle possesses two unit membrane envelopes. Following loss of the outer membrane in vivo, nucleocapsids are believed to gain entry into the cytosol via a membrane fusion event involving the inner membrane and the plasma membrane of susceptible host cells; accordingly, experimentally induced damage to the outer membrane might be expected to increase infectivity. Here, in an attempt to develop an in vitro model system for studying ichnovirus infection, we show that digitonin-induced disruption of the virion outer membrane not only increases infectivity, but also uncovers an activity not previously associated with any polydnavirus: fusion from without.

Human cytomegalovirus uses two distinct pathways to enter retinal pigmented epithelial cells

Human cytomegalovirus infects multiple cell types, including fibroblasts and epithelial cells. It penetrates fibroblasts by fusion at the cell surface but is endocytosed into epithelial cells. In this report, we demonstrate by electron microscopy that the virus uses two different routes to enter retinal pigmented epithelial cells, depending on the cell type in which the infecting virus was produced. Virus produced in epithelial cells preferentially fuses with the plasma membrane, whereas fibroblast-derived virus mostly enters by receptor-mediated endocytosis. Treatment of epithelial cells with agents that block endosome acidification inhibited infection by virus produced in fibroblasts but had only a modest effect on infection by virus from epithelial cells. Epithelial cell-generated virions had higher intrinsic "fusion-from-without" activity than fibroblast-generated particles, and the two virus preparations triggered different cellular signaling responses, as evidenced by markedly different transcriptional profiles. We propose that the cell type in which a human cytomegalovirus particle is produced likely influences its subsequent spread and its contribution to pathogenesis.

Nectin-2-mediated entry of a syncytial strain of herpes simplex virus via pH-independent fusion with the plasma membrane of Chinese hamster ovary cells

BACKGROUND

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) can utilize multiple pathways to enter host cells. The factors that determine which route is taken are not clear. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells that express glycoprotein D (gD)-binding receptors are model cells that support a pH-dependent, endocytic entry pathway for all HSV strains tested to date. Fusion-from-without (FFWO) is the induction of target cell fusion by addition of intact virions to cell monolayers in the absence of viral protein expression. The receptor requirements for HSV-induced FFWO are not known. We used the syncytial HSV-1 strain ANG path as a tool to evaluate the complex interplay between receptor usage, membrane fusion, and selection of entry pathway.

RESULTS

Inhibitors of endocytosis and endosome acidification blocked ANG path entry into CHO cells expressing nectin-1 receptors, but not CHO-nectin-2 cells. Thus, under these conditions, nectin-2 mediates pH-independent entry at the plasma membrane. In addition, CHO-nectin-2 cells supported pH-dependent, endocytic entry of different strains of HSV-1, including rid1 and HFEM. The kinetics of ANG path entry was rapid (t1/2 of 5-10 min) regardless of entry route. However, HSV-1 ANG path entry by fusion with the CHO-nectin-2 cell plasma membrane was more efficient and resulted in larger syncytia. ANG path virions added to the surface of CHO-nectin-2 cells, but not receptor-negative CHO cells or CHO-nectin-1 cells, induced rapid FFWO.

CONCLUSION

HSV-1 ANG path can enter CHO cells by either endocytic or non-endocytic pathways depending on whether nectin-1 or nectin-2 is present. In addition to these cellular receptors, one or more viral determinants is important for the selection of entry pathway. HSV-induced FFWO depends on the presence of an appropriate gD-receptor in the target membrane. Nectin-1 and nectin-2 target ANG path to divergent cellular pathways, and these receptors may have different roles in triggering viral membrane fusion.

A role for human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein O (gO) in cell fusion and a new hypervariable locus

A cell fusion assay using fusion-from-without (FFWO) recombinant adenoviruses (RAds) and specific antibody showed a role in fusion modulation for glycoprotein gO, the recently identified third component of the gH/gL gCIII complex of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). As in HCMV, RAd gO expressed multiple glycosylated species with a mature product of 125 kDa. Coexpression with gH/gL RAds showed gCIII reconstitution in the absence of other HCMV products and stabilisation by intermolecular disulfide bonds. Properties of HCMV clinical isolate, Pt, also implicated gO in cell spread. Compared to laboratory strain AD169, Pt was resistant to gH antibody plaque inhibition, but mature gH was identical. However, the gO sequences were highly divergent (20%), with further variation in laboratory strain Towne gO (34%). Thus, gO forms gCIII with gH/gL, performs in cell fusion, and is a newly identified HCMV hypervariable locus which may influence gCIII's function in mediating infection.

Antigenic structure of soluble herpes simplex virus (HSV) glycoprotein D correlates with inhibition of HSV infection

Soluble forms of herpes simplex virus (HSV) glycoprotein D (gD) block viral penetration. Likewise, most HSV strains are sensitive to gD-mediated interference by cells expressing gD. The mechanism of both forms of gD-mediated inhibition is thought to be at the receptor level. We analyzed the ability of different forms of soluble, truncated gD (gDt) to inhibit infection by different strains of HSV-1 and HSV-2. Strains that were resistant to gD-mediated interference were also resistant to inhibition by gDt, thereby suggesting a link between these two phenomena. Virion gD was the major viral determinant for resistance to inhibition by gDt. An insertion-deletion mutant, gD-1(delta 290-299t), had an enhanced inhibitory activity against most strains tested. The structure and function of gDt proteins derived from the inhibition-resistant viruses rid1 and ANG were analyzed. gD-1(ridlt) and gD-1(ANGt) had a potent inhibitory effect on plaque formation by wild-type strains of HSV but, surprisingly, little or no effect on their parental strains. As measured by quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with a diverse panel of monoclonal antibodies, the antigenic structures of gD-1(rid1t) and gD-1(ANGt) were divergent from that of the wild type yet were similar to each other and to that of gD-1 (delta 290-299t). Thus, three different forms of gD have common antigenic changes that correlate with enhanced inhibitory activity against HSV. We conclude that inhibition of HSV infectivity by soluble gD is influenced by the antigenic conformation of the blocking gDt as well as the form of gD in the target virus.

Two mutations in gB-1 and gD-1 of herpes simplex virus type 1 are involved in the "fusion from without" phenotype in different cell types

Previous studies have shown that certain strains of herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) are able to induce "fusion from without" (FFWO) which means no transcription or translation of the viral genome happens. The main determinants for FFWO in BHK cells are mutations in the C-terminal part of gB-1. But single mutations in this part of the genome are not sufficient to transfer the FFWO phenotype also to Vero cells. Here, we report that FFWO of HSV strains indeed need additional mutations in the N-terminal part of gD in order to produce the FFWO phenotype in BHK and Vero cells. By marker transfer we are able to show that loss of mutations in the N-terminal part of gD influences the ability to induce FFWO in Vero cells but not in BHK cells. We assume that a mutated gD allows the entrance of a multiple number of virus particles into the cell and enhances therefore the fusion activity of the mutated gB. Mutations in gD alone are not sufficient for fusion activity of HSV.

Evidence for a multistep mechanism for cell-cell fusion by herpes simplex virus with mutations in the syn 3 locus using heparin derivatives during fusion from within

Addition of heparin-Na+ as well as related substances of high and intermediate MW (Arteparon and polyanion SP54) 3 h after infection inhibit fusion from within (FFWI) induced by HSV strains with mutations in the syn 3 locus only. The concentration of heparin-Na+ required to inhibit FFWI is 10-fold higher (1 mg/ml) than that needed to inhibit adsorption. Instead of fusion, cell rounding is observed. The effect is readily reversible. A low MW heparin disaccharide is ineffective. Neomycin, at a concentration of 8 mM, inhibits FFWI induced by all HSV-1 but not HSV-2 strains, whereas adsorption is inhibited at 3 mM. We conclude from our observations that cell-cell fusion (FFWI) induced by syn 3 locus mutants of HSV-1 depends on a multistep mechanism. One may be constituted by pre-existing cell-cell connections or microfusions leading to cell rounding, whereas another may be active using newly appearing cell bridges during FFWI; also the three-dimensional structure of the cell membrane may be of importance. Moreover, the molecular mechanisms of FFWI induced by mutations in the syn 3 locus compared to the other 5 syn loci should be different.

Cyclosporin A resistance of herpes simplex virus-induced "fusion from within" as a phenotypical marker of mutations in the Syn 3 locus of the glycoprotein B gene

We here report research in which nine strains of Herpes simplex virus (HSV) with fusing activity were investigated in order to establish precise phenotypical markers of mutations in the carboxy terminus of glycoprotein B (gB). The gene region encoding the carboxy terminus of gB was isolated, then cloned, and finally sequenced. Our investigation showed that seven strains have different mutations in the syn 3 locus. We observed no base difference in the gB gene region encoding the carboxy terminus of gB of two other strains. Strains with a mutation in the carboxy terminus of gB induced fusion from within (FFWI) in the presence of Cyclosporin A (CyA) at a concentration up to 150 microM. There are two clusters of mutations correlated with the syn 3 locus and selected in the presence of CyA: One group comprised of amino acid substitutions at position 816, the other of changes at positions 853, 854, and 857. In contrast, the fusion induced by strains with mutations in other syn loci is CyA sensitive. CyA inhibits the FFWI at concentrations of 20-60 microM. The results demonstrate the CyA resistance of HSV-induced FFWI should serve as a phenotypical marker of mutations in the carboxy terminus of gB. Moreover, our investigations revealed that fusion from without (FFWO) does not always serve as a phenotypical marker of mutations in the syn 3 locus. On the one hand, all FFWO-positive strains possess a syn 3 locus mutation, whilst, on the other hand, five strains with mutations in the carboxy terminus of gB are FFWO negative.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Herpes simplex virus type 1-induced hemagglutination: glycoprotein C mediates virus binding to erythrocyte surface heparan sulfate

We recently reported that herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) can cause agglutination of murine erythrocytes (E. Trybala, Z. Larski, and J. Wisniewski, Arch. Virol. 113:89-94, 1990). We now demonstrate that the mechanism of this hemagglutination is glycoprotein C-mediated binding of virus to heparan sulfate moieties at the surface of erythrocytes. Hemagglutination was found to be a common property of all gC-expressing laboratory strains and clinical isolates of HSV-1 tested. Mutants of HSV-1 deficient in glycoprotein C caused no specific hemagglutination, whereas their derivatives transfected with a functional gC-1 gene, thus reconstituting gC expression, regained full hemagglutinating activity. Hemagglutination activity was inhibited by antibodies against gC-1 but not by antibodies with specificity for glycoproteins gB, gD, or gE or by murine antiserum raised against the MP strain of HSV-1, which is gC deficient. Finally, purified gC-1 protein, like whole HSV-1 virions, showed high hemagglutinating activity which was inhibited by heparan sulfate and/or heparin and was completely prevented by pretreatment of erythrocytes with heparitinase, providing evidence that gC-1 mediates hemagglutination by binding to heparan sulfate at the cell surface. Thus, HSV-1-induced hemagglutination is gC-1 dependent and resembles the recently proposed mechanism by which HSV-1 attaches to surface heparans on susceptible cells, providing a simple model for initial events in the virus-cell interaction.

Relationship between HLA I surface expression and different cytopathic effects produced after herpes simplex virus infection in vitro

In the present study, we investigated the effects of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection on the expression of HLA class I antigens and beta 2-microglobulin in human fibroblasts. The mRNA abundance for HLA class I was shown to be strongly reduced after infection with HSV strains either producing cell rounding or fusion from within (FFWI), however, HLA class I expression on the surface of cells is strongly reduced only after appearance of FFWI. Using a ts mutant (ts 78R) or CyA in combination with a fusion from without (FFWO) inducing strain of HSV, this loss of HLA class I antigens is assumed to be correlated to the rearrangement of the cell membrane during the fusion process itself as a late event of cytopathogenicity.

Characterization of fusion from without induced by herpes simplex virus

The process of fusion from without (FFWO) induced by herpes simplex virus (HSV) was analyzed by using various inhibitors and compared to fusion from within (FFWI). The fate of certain elements of the cytoskeleton after FFWO was also investigated. Our experiments demonstrate FFWO as a very suitable system for study of early virus-cell interactions. Zn++ ions proved inhibitory for penetration whilst pretreatment of cells with Ca++ ions before infection enhanced FFWO activity. Dissociation of penetration from the fusion process itself was possible by use of Zn++ ions, low pH-treatment and antiserum on the one hand and N-ethylmaleimide and cytochalasin D on the other. Penetration itself needs only 6 min or less to proceed. FFWO is independent of inhibitors of glycosylation (tunicamycin) and intracellular vesicular traffic (monensin), protein-synthesis (cycloheximide) and energy-delivery (2.4 dinitrophenol and Na-azide). Analyzed strains of HSV-1 and -2 producing FFWI could be subgrouped into three categories: Strain ANG with high, strain HFEM and Lux with low and strains IES, Len, MP, US with no FFWO activity. The results of these experiments indicate that the property of FFWO is not purely a consequence of the number of PFU but depends on certain inherent properties of the virus particles. Addition of heparin as well as treatment of cells with heparitinase effectively prevented FFWO, indicating identical virus receptors for entrance of virus into cells and FFWO. During our studies several calf sera were found to inhibit FFWO-activity. Inhibition of FFWO by a glycoconjugate (ferritin coupled with oleic acid) indicates specific stereochemical hindrance of FFWO by this compound. Shortly after FFWO the actin filaments rearrange to form long fibres and surface fibronectin is being lost from the cell membrane.

Suppression of humoral immune response against herpes simplex virus induced by defective strains, ts- and TK- mutants

Suppression of humoral antibody formation against HSV is not only induced by replicating Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) but also by the defective strain ANG and the deletion mutant 1301 of Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Moreover, ts-mutants A, H, K, S, 1201 and 1208 of HSV-1 as well as some ts-mutants of HSV-2 and "defective-interfering" particles of HSV-1 after high multiplicity of infection-passages induced suppression. Treatment of infected mice with ACG reduced antibody-formation but did not result in suppression. UV-irradiation of the antibody producing strain Len of HSV-1 strongly reduces antibody formation and induces suppression. Experiments using a series of intertypic recombinants showed the suppressing activity to be spread over the whole genome of HSV-2. It is concluded that suppression is induced by more than one region of the genome of HSV-2 and by incomplete replication of HSV-1 and 2.

Microtubules and intermediate filaments of herpes simplex virus infected cells

The fate of microtubules and of vimentin or keratin containing intermediate filaments during infection with fusion or rounding producing strains of herpes simplex virus (HSV) was investigated. Microtubules polymerize early after fusion of cells. However, they do not reconstitute 6-7 hours post infection (p.i.) after release of a colcemid block. Keratin and vimentin are maintained around the original nucleus still inside of recruited cells in the polykaryocyte. Cells of fibroblastic and epithelial origin fuse. Inside of polykaryocytes keratin or vimentin containing fibers seem to polymerize. Keratin is to be found in invaginations in the nuclei surrounded by the inner layer of the nuclear membrane. Anti-keratin antibodies specifically label HSV envelopes located in the cytoplasm or outside of the cell. Controls of the procedure allowed to exclude labelling of HSV envelopes via gpE, which represents HSV induced Fc receptors. Late stages of infected cells contain thickened and condensed keratin fibers. Conversely, vimentin fibers late after infection appear to be evenly distributed and to be thin. Microtubules decay late after infection with rounding producing strains of HSV, whereas keratin and vimentin fibers are still present late after infection.

Involvement of actin-containing microfilaments in HSV-induced cytopathology and the influence of inhibitors of glycosylation

Two and a half hours after infection with a high dose of different strains of HSV-1 which induce rounding of cells, breakdown of actin containing microfilaments can be observed. At the periphery of the cell, actin containing knob-like protuberances were visible. Later on, actin seems to be located exclusively on the surface of cells. Observations were done by immunofluorescence microscopy, scanning electron-microscopy and immunoperoxidase staining of ultrathin sections. The envelope of HSV appears to be stained by anti-actin. Strain IES produces rounding of cells at a high dose of infection before fusion proceeds at 37 degrees C. Similar alterations were not observed with the fusing strains MP and HFEM. Incubation of infected cells at 39 degrees C revealed strain dependent differences of the fusion activity. At 41 degrees C no "fusion from within" of cells but only rounding was detectable. Application of tunicamycin resulted in complete inhibition of fusion by all strains. The fusion activity of some strains of HSV-1 (ANG, HFEM, and MP) was not inhibited by addition of 2-deoxy-D-glucose and 2-fluoro-deoxy-D-glucose. A variant from strain MP could be isolated, which is sensitive to the effects of 2-deoxy-D-glucose. Inhibitors of processing of glycoproteins did not affect fusion of cells.