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Le‐Trilling VTK, Banchenko S, Paydar D, Leipe PM, Binting L, Lauer S, Graziadei A, Klingen R, Gotthold C, Bürger J, Bracht T, Sitek B, Jan Lebbink R, Malyshkina A, Mielke T, Rappsilber J, Spahn CMT, Voigt S, Trilling M, Schwefel D. Structural mechanism of CRL4-instructed STAT2 degradation via a novel cytomegaloviral DCAF receptor. EMBO J 2023; 42:e112351. [PMID: 36762436 PMCID: PMC9975947 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022112351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a ubiquitously distributed pathogen whose rodent counterparts such as mouse and rat CMV serve as common infection models. Here, we conducted global proteome profiling of rat CMV-infected cells and uncovered a pronounced loss of the transcription factor STAT2, which is crucial for antiviral interferon signalling. Via deletion mutagenesis, we found that the viral protein E27 is required for CMV-induced STAT2 depletion. Cellular and in vitro analyses showed that E27 exploits host-cell Cullin4-RING ubiquitin ligase (CRL4) complexes to induce poly-ubiquitylation and proteasomal degradation of STAT2. Cryo-electron microscopy revealed how E27 mimics molecular surface properties of cellular CRL4 substrate receptors called DCAFs (DDB1- and Cullin4-associated factors), thereby displacing them from the catalytic core of CRL4. Moreover, structural analyses showed that E27 recruits STAT2 through a bipartite binding interface, which partially overlaps with the IRF9 binding site. Structure-based mutations in M27, the murine CMV homologue of E27, impair the interferon-suppressing capacity and virus replication in mouse models, supporting the conserved importance of DCAF mimicry for CMV immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sofia Banchenko
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Darius Paydar
- Institute for VirologyUniversity Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
- Zentrum für KinderpsychiatrieUniversitätsklinik ZürichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Pia Madeleine Leipe
- Institute for VirologyUniversity Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
| | - Lukas Binting
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Simon Lauer
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Andrea Graziadei
- Bioanalytics Unit, Institute of BiotechnologyTechnische Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Robin Klingen
- Institute for VirologyUniversity Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
| | - Christine Gotthold
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Jörg Bürger
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
- Microscopy and Cryo‐Electron Microscopy Service GroupMax‐Planck‐Institute for Molecular GeneticsBerlinGermany
| | - Thilo Bracht
- Medizinisches Proteom‐CenterRuhr‐University BochumBochumGermany
- Department of Anesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain TherapyUniversity Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus BochumBochumGermany
| | - Barbara Sitek
- Medizinisches Proteom‐CenterRuhr‐University BochumBochumGermany
- Department of Anesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain TherapyUniversity Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus BochumBochumGermany
| | - Robert Jan Lebbink
- Department of Medical MicrobiologyUniversity Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtthe Netherlands
| | - Anna Malyshkina
- Institute for VirologyUniversity Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
| | - Thorsten Mielke
- Microscopy and Cryo‐Electron Microscopy Service GroupMax‐Planck‐Institute for Molecular GeneticsBerlinGermany
| | - Juri Rappsilber
- Bioanalytics Unit, Institute of BiotechnologyTechnische Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
- Wellcome Centre for Cell BiologyUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Christian MT Spahn
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Sebastian Voigt
- Institute for VirologyUniversity Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
| | - Mirko Trilling
- Institute for VirologyUniversity Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
| | - David Schwefel
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
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Le-Trilling VTK, Jagnjić A, Brizić I, Eilbrecht M, Wohlgemuth K, Rožmanić C, Herdman A, Hoffmann K, Westendorf AM, Hengel H, Jonjić S, Trilling M. Maternal antibodies induced by a live attenuated vaccine protect neonatal mice from cytomegalovirus. NPJ Vaccines 2023; 8:8. [PMID: 36737485 PMCID: PMC9898546 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-023-00602-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) frequently causes congenital infections, resulting in birth defects and developmental disorders. A vaccine is needed, but unavailable. We analyzed the potential of CMV mutants, lacking their STAT2 antagonists to serve as live attenuated vaccine viruses in mice. Infections with attenuated viruses elicited strong ELISA-reactive binding IgG responses and induced neutralizing antibodies as well as antibodies stimulating cellular Fcγ receptors, including the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC)-eliciting receptors FcγRIII/CD16 and FcγRIV. Accordingly, vaccinated mice were fully protected against challenge infections. Female mice vaccinated prior to gestation transmitted CMV-specific IgG to their offspring, which protected the progeny from perinatal infections in a mouse model for congenital CMV disease. To define the role of maternal antibodies, female mice either capable or incapable of producing antibodies were vaccinated and subsequently bred to males of the opposite genotype. Challenge infections of the genotypically identical F1 generation revealed the indispensability of maternal antibodies for vaccine-induced protection against cytomegaloviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vu Thuy Khanh Le-Trilling
- grid.5718.b0000 0001 2187 5445Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Andreja Jagnjić
- grid.5718.b0000 0001 2187 5445Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Ilija Brizić
- grid.22939.330000 0001 2236 1630Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Mareike Eilbrecht
- grid.5718.b0000 0001 2187 5445Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Wohlgemuth
- grid.5718.b0000 0001 2187 5445Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Carmen Rožmanić
- grid.22939.330000 0001 2236 1630Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Alan Herdman
- grid.5718.b0000 0001 2187 5445Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Katja Hoffmann
- grid.5963.9Institute of Virology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Astrid M. Westendorf
- grid.5718.b0000 0001 2187 5445Institute for Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Hartmut Hengel
- grid.5963.9Institute of Virology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stipan Jonjić
- grid.22939.330000 0001 2236 1630Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Mirko Trilling
- grid.5718.b0000 0001 2187 5445Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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Le-Trilling VTK, Ebel JF, Baier F, Wohlgemuth K, Pfeifer KR, Mookhoek A, Krebs P, Determann M, Katschinski B, Adamczyk A, Lange E, Klopfleisch R, Lange CM, Sokolova V, Trilling M, Westendorf AM. Acute cytomegalovirus infection modulates the intestinal microbiota and targets intestinal epithelial cells. Eur J Immunol 2023; 53:e2249940. [PMID: 36250419 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202249940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Primary and recurrent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections frequently cause CMV colitis in immunocompromised as well as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Additionally, colitis occasionally occurs upon primary CMV infection in patients who are apparently immunocompetent. In both cases, the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms are largely elusive - in part due to the lack of adequate access to specimens. We employed the mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) model to assess the association between CMV and colitis. During acute primary MCMV infection of immunocompetent mice, the gut microbial composition was affected as manifested by an altered ratio of the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes phyla. Interestingly, these microbial changes coincided with high-titer MCMV replication in the colon, crypt hyperplasia, increased colonic pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, and a transient increase in the expression of the antimicrobial protein Regenerating islet-derived protein 3 gamma (Reg3γ). Further analyses revealed that murine and human intestinal epithelial cell lines, as well as primary intestinal crypt cells and organoids represent direct targets of CMV infection causing increased cell death. Accordingly, in vivo MCMV infection disrupted the intestinal epithelial barrier and increased apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells. In summary, our data show that CMV transiently induces colitis in immunocompetent hosts by altering the intestinal homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jana-Fabienne Ebel
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Franziska Baier
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Wohlgemuth
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Kai Robin Pfeifer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Aart Mookhoek
- Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Krebs
- Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Madita Determann
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Benjamin Katschinski
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Alexandra Adamczyk
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Erik Lange
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Robert Klopfleisch
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian M Lange
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Viktoriya Sokolova
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Inorganic Chemistry and Centre for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CeNIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Mirko Trilling
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Astrid M Westendorf
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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Le‐Trilling VTK, Ebel J, Baier F, Wohlgemuth K, Pfeifer KR, Mookhoek A, Krebs P, Determann M, Katschinski B, Adamczyk A, Lange E, Klopfleisch R, Lange CM, Sokolova V, Trilling M, Westendorf AM. Acute cytomegalovirus infection modulates the intestinal microbiota and targets intestinal epithelial cells. Eur J Immunol 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/eji.202249940 10.1002/eji.202249940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jana‐Fabienne Ebel
- Institute of Medical Microbiology University Hospital Essen University of Duisburg‐Essen Essen Germany
| | - Franziska Baier
- Institute of Medical Microbiology University Hospital Essen University of Duisburg‐Essen Essen Germany
| | - Kerstin Wohlgemuth
- Institute for Virology University Hospital Essen University of Duisburg‐Essen Essen Germany
| | - Kai Robin Pfeifer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology University Hospital Essen University of Duisburg‐Essen Essen Germany
| | - Aart Mookhoek
- Institute of Pathology University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Philippe Krebs
- Institute of Pathology University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Madita Determann
- Institute for Virology University Hospital Essen University of Duisburg‐Essen Essen Germany
| | - Benjamin Katschinski
- Institute for Virology University Hospital Essen University of Duisburg‐Essen Essen Germany
| | - Alexandra Adamczyk
- Institute of Medical Microbiology University Hospital Essen University of Duisburg‐Essen Essen Germany
| | - Erik Lange
- Institute of Medical Microbiology University Hospital Essen University of Duisburg‐Essen Essen Germany
| | - Robert Klopfleisch
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology Free University of Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Christian M. Lange
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology University Hospital Essen University of Duisburg‐Essen Essen Germany
| | - Viktoriya Sokolova
- Institute of Medical Microbiology University Hospital Essen University of Duisburg‐Essen Essen Germany
- Inorganic Chemistry and Centre for Nanointegration Duisburg‐Essen (CeNIDE) University of Duisburg‐Essen Essen Germany
| | - Mirko Trilling
- Institute for Virology University Hospital Essen University of Duisburg‐Essen Essen Germany
| | - Astrid M. Westendorf
- Institute of Medical Microbiology University Hospital Essen University of Duisburg‐Essen Essen Germany
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Brizić I, Lisnić B, Krstanović F, Brune W, Hengel H, Jonjić S. Mouse Models for Cytomegalovirus Infections in Newborns and Adults. Curr Protoc 2022; 2:e537. [PMID: 36083111 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This article describes procedures for infecting adult mice with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) and for infecting newborn mice to model congenital CMV infection. Methods are included for propagating MCMV in cell cultures and preparing a more virulent form of MCMV from the salivary glands of infected mice. A plaque assay is provided for determining MCMV titers of infected tissues or virus stocks. Also, methods are described for preparing the murine embryonic fibroblasts used for propagating MCMV, and for the plaque assay. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilija Brizić
- Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Berislav Lisnić
- Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Fran Krstanović
- Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | | | - Hartmut Hengel
- Institute of Virology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stipan Jonjić
- Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
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Flores-Martínez YA, Le-Trilling VTK, Trilling M. Nedd8-Activating Enzyme Is a Druggable Host Dependency Factor of Human and Mouse Cytomegalovirus. Viruses 2021; 13:v13081610. [PMID: 34452475 PMCID: PMC8402636 DOI: 10.3390/v13081610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus causes diseases in individuals with insufficient immunity. Cytomegaloviruses exploit the ubiquitin proteasome pathway to manipulate the proteome of infected cells. The proteasome degrades ubiquitinated proteins. The family of cullin RING ubiquitin ligases (CRL) regulates the stability of numerous important proteins. If the cullin within the CRL is modified with Nedd8 ("neddylated"), the CRL is enzymatically active, while CRLs lacking Nedd8 modifications are inactive. The Nedd8-activating enzyme (NAE) is indispensable for neddylation. By binding to NAE and inhibiting neddylation, the drug MLN4924 (pevonedistat) causes CRL inactivation and stabilization of CRL target proteins. We showed that MLN4924 elicits potent antiviral activity against cytomegaloviruses, suggesting that NAE might be a druggable host dependency factor (HDF). However, MLN4924 is a nucleoside analog related to AMP, and the antiviral activity of MLN4924 may have been influenced by off-target effects in addition to NAE inhibition. To test if NAE is indeed an HDF, we assessed the novel NAE inhibitor TAS4464 and observed potent antiviral activity against mouse and human cytomegalovirus. Additionally, we raised an MLN4924-resistant cell clone and showed that MLN4924 as well as TAS4464 lose their antiviral activity in these cells. Our results indicate that NAE, the neddylation process, and CRLs are druggable HDFs of cytomegaloviruses.
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Rodent Models of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 33555596 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1111-1_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a leading viral cause of congenital infections in the central nervous system (CNS) and may result in severe long-term sequelae. High rates of sequelae following congenital HCMV infection and insufficient antiviral therapy in the perinatal period makes the development of an HCMV-specific vaccine a high priority of modern medicine. Due to the species specificity of HCMV, animal models are frequently used to study CMV pathogenesis. Studies of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infections of adult mice have played a significant role as a model of CMV biology and pathogenesis, while MCMV infection of newborn mice has been successfully used as a model of perinatal CMV infection. Newborn mice infected with MCMV have high levels of viremia during which the virus establishes a productive infection in most organs, coupled with a robust inflammatory response. Productive infection in the brain parenchyma during early postnatal period leads to an extensive nonnecrotizing multifocal widespread encephalitis characterized by infiltration of components of both innate and adaptive immunity. As a result, impairment in postnatal development of mouse cerebellum leads to long-term motor and sensor disabilities. This chapter summarizes current findings of rodent models of perinatal CMV infection and describes methods for analysis of perinatal MCMV infection in newborn mice.
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Huang H, Rückborn M, Le-Trilling VTK, Zhu D, Yang S, Zhou W, Yang X, Feng X, Lu Y, Lu M, Dittmer U, Yang D, Trilling M, Liu J. Prophylactic and therapeutic HBV vaccination by an HBs-expressing cytomegalovirus vector lacking an interferon antagonist in mice. Eur J Immunol 2020; 51:393-407. [PMID: 33029793 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202048780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-based vaccines show promising effects against chronic infections in nonhuman primates. Therefore, we examined the potential of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccines based on mouse CMV (MCMV) vectors expressing the small HBsAg. Immunological consequences of vaccine virus attenuation were addressed by either replacing the dispensable gene m157 ("MCMV-HBsȍ) or the gene M27 ("ΔM27-HBs"), the latter encodes a potent IFN antagonist targeting the transcription factor STAT2. M27 was chosen, since human CMV encodes an analogous gene product, which also induced proteasomal STAT2 degradation by exploiting Cullin RING ubiquitin ligases. Vaccinated mice were challenged with HBV through hydrodynamic injection. MCMV-HBs and ΔM27-HBs vaccination achieved accelerated HBV clearance in serum and liver as well as robust HBV-specific CD8+ T-cell responses. When we explored the therapeutic potential of MCMV-based vaccines, especially the combination of ΔM27-HBs prime and DNA boost vaccination resulted in increased intrahepatic HBs-specific CD8+ T-cell responses and HBV clearance in persistently infected mice. Our results demonstrated that vaccines based on a replication competent MCMV attenuated through the deletion of an IFN antagonist targeting STAT2 elicit robust anti-HBV immune responses and mediate HBV clearance in mice in prophylactic and therapeutic immunization regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongming Huang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Meike Rückborn
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | | | - Dan Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shangqing Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenqing Zhou
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuecheng Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuemei Feng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yinping Lu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengji Lu
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Ulf Dittmer
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Dongliang Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Mirko Trilling
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jia Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Eilbrecht M, Le-Trilling VTK, Trilling M. Mouse Cytomegalovirus M34 Encodes a Non-essential, Nuclear, Early- Late Expressed Protein Required for Efficient Viral Replication. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:171. [PMID: 32432049 PMCID: PMC7214618 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a prototypic betaherpesvirus which causes severe manifestations in individuals with impaired or immature immunity. To investigate cytomegalovirus-induced pathogenesis and virus-specific immune responses, mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infections in mice are employed as accepted small animal model. MCMV and HCMV share co-linear genomes and encode several homologous proteins. Due to the size and complexity of CMV genomes, the molecular functions of numerous cytomegaloviral gene products remain to be elucidated. While the essential nature of viral genes highlights their biological relevance, it renders functional studies particularly cumbersome by precluding experiments in the infection context. The HCMV-encoded protein pUL34 binds the HCMV genome and regulates viral gene expression (e.g., of US3). Several groups provided compelling evidence that UL34 is essential for HCMV replication. MCMV encodes the homologous protein pM34 (34% identical and 55% similar). Based on unsuccessful attempts to reconstitute M34-deficient virus from a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC), M34 was previously classified as essential for MCMV replication. To characterize pM34 during viral infection, we engineered and analyzed an MCMV mutant expressing an HA-epitope-tagged pM34 which was expressed with early-late kinetics and localized in the nucleus. Additionally, we generated an M34-deficient (“ΔM34”) MCMV-BAC by replacing the entire M34 coding sequence by a kanamycin resistance cassette. The deletion of M34 was confirmed by Southern blot and PCR. Unexpectedly, we could reconstitute replicating ΔM34-MCMV upon transfection of the BAC DNA into mouse embryonic fibroblasts. The absence of M34 from the genome of the replicating ΔM34-MCMV was also confirmed. Accordingly, a ΔM34-MCMV, in which the kanamycin cassette was excised by frt/Flp-mediated recombination, was also replication competent. In order to corroborate the absence of pM34 protein, the M34 deletion was recapitulated on the background of M34HA, which yielded replicating virus devoid of detectable pM34HA protein. The replication of MCMVs lacking M34 was found to be 10- to 100-fold reduced as compared to wt-MCMV which might explain previous unsuccessful reconstitution attempts conducted by others. Taken together, our findings reveal that MCMV remains replication competent despite the absence of M34, enabling functional studies in the infection context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mareike Eilbrecht
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | | | - Mirko Trilling
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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10
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Le-Trilling VTK, Trilling M. Ub to no good: How cytomegaloviruses exploit the ubiquitin proteasome system. Virus Res 2020; 281:197938. [PMID: 32198076 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2020.197938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a ubiquitous member of the Betaherpesvirinae subfamily, causing life-threatening diseases in individuals with impaired, immature, or senescent immunity. Accordingly, HIV-infected AIDS patients, transplant recipients, and congenitally infected neonates frequently suffer from symptomatic episodes of HCMV replication. Like all viruses, HCMV has a split relationship with the host proteome. Efficient virus replication can only be achieved if proteins involved in intrinsic, innate, and adaptive immune responses are sufficiently antagonized. Simultaneously, the abundance and function of proteins involved in the synthesis of chemical building blocks required for virus production, such as nucleotides, amino acids, and fatty acids, must be preserved or even enriched. The ubiquitin (Ub) proteasome system (UPS) constitutes one of the most relevant protein decay systems of eukaryotic cells. In addition to the regulation of the turn-over and abundance of thousands of proteins, the UPS also generates the majority of peptides presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules to allow surveillance by T lymphocytes. Cytomegaloviruses exploit the UPS to regulate the abundance of viral proteins and to manipulate the host proteome in favour of viral replication and immune evasion. After summarizing the current knowledge of CMV-mediated misuse of the UPS, we discuss the evolution of viral proteins utilizing the UPS for the degradation of defined target proteins. We propose two alternative routes of adapter protein development and their mechanistic consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mirko Trilling
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
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Genetic Diversity of Collaborative Cross Mice Controls Viral Replication, Clinical Severity, and Brain Pathology Induced by Zika Virus Infection, Independently of Oas1b. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.01034-19. [PMID: 31694939 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01034-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The explosive spread of Zika virus (ZIKV) has been associated with major variations in severe disease and congenital afflictions among infected populations, suggesting an influence of host genes. We investigated how genome-wide variants could impact susceptibility to ZIKV infection in mice. We first describe that the susceptibility of Ifnar1-knockout mice is largely influenced by their genetic background. We then show that Collaborative Cross (CC) mice, which exhibit a broad genetic diversity, in which the type I interferon receptor (IFNAR) was blocked by an anti-IFNAR antibody expressed phenotypes ranging from complete resistance to severe symptoms and death, with large variations in the peak and the rate of decrease in the plasma viral load, in the brain viral load, in brain histopathology, and in the viral replication rate in infected cells. The differences in susceptibility to ZIKV between CC strains correlated with the differences in susceptibility to dengue and West Nile viruses between the strains. We identified highly susceptible and resistant mouse strains as new models to investigate the mechanisms of human ZIKV disease and other flavivirus infections. Genetic analyses revealed that phenotypic variations are driven by multiple genes with small effects, reflecting the complexity of ZIKV disease susceptibility in the human population. Notably, our results rule out the possibility of a role of the Oas1b gene in the susceptibility to ZIKV. Altogether, the findings of this study emphasize the role of host genes in the pathogeny of ZIKV infection and lay the foundation for further genetic and mechanistic studies.IMPORTANCE In recent outbreaks, ZIKV has infected millions of people and induced rare but potentially severe complications, including Guillain-Barré syndrome and encephalitis in adults. While several viral sequence variants were proposed to enhance the pathogenicity of ZIKV, the influence of host genetic variants in mediating the clinical heterogeneity remains mostly unexplored. We addressed this question using a mouse panel which models the genetic diversity of the human population and a ZIKV strain from a recent clinical isolate. Through a combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches, we demonstrate that multiple host genetic variants determine viral replication in infected cells and the clinical severity, the kinetics of blood viral load, and brain pathology in mice. We describe new mouse models expressing high degrees of susceptibility or resistance to ZIKV and to other flaviviruses. These models will facilitate the identification and mechanistic characterization of host genes that influence ZIKV pathogenesis.
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Immunization with a murine cytomegalovirus based vector encoding retrovirus envelope confers strong protection from Friend retrovirus challenge infection. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1008043. [PMID: 31568492 PMCID: PMC6786657 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunization vectors based on cytomegalovirus (CMV) have attracted a lot of interest in recent years because of their high efficacy in the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) macaque model, which has been attributed to their ability to induce strong, unusually broad, and unconventionally restricted CD8+ T cell responses. To evaluate the ability of CMV-based vectors to mediate protection by other immune mechanisms, we evaluated a mouse CMV (MCMV)-based vector encoding Friend virus (FV) envelope (Env), which lacks any known CD8+ T cell epitopes, for its protective efficacy in the FV mouse model. When we immunized highly FV-susceptible mice with the Env-encoding MCMV vector (MCMV.env), we could detect high frequencies of Env-specific CD4+ T cells after a single immunization. While the control of an early FV challenge infection was highly variable, an FV infection applied later after immunization was tightly controlled by almost all immunized mice. Protection of mice correlated with their ability to mount a robust anamnestic neutralizing antibody response upon FV infection, but Env-specific CD4+ T cells also produced appreciable levels of interferon γ. Depletion and transfer experiments underlined the important role of antibodies for control of FV infection but also showed that while no Env-specific CD8+ T cells were induced by the MCMV.env vaccine, the presence of CD8+ T cells at the time of FV challenge was required. The immunity induced by MCMV.env immunization was long-lasting, but was restricted to MCMV naïve animals. Taken together, our results demonstrate a novel mode of action of a CMV-based vaccine for anti-retrovirus immunization that confers strong protection from retrovirus challenge, which is conferred by CD4+ T cells and antibodies. CMV-based vectors have attracted a lot of attention in the vaccine development field, since they were shown to induce unconventionally restricted CD8+ T cell responses and strong protection in the SIV rhesus macaque model. In a mouse retrovirus model, we show now that immunization with a mouse CMV-based vector encoding retrovirus envelope conferred very strong protection, even though it was not designed to induce any CD8+ T cell responses. In this MCMV.env immunization, protection relied on the induction of CD4+ T cells and the ability to mount a strong anamnestic neutralizing antibody response upon retrovirus infection, but it was restricted to MCMV pre-naïve mice. In our model system, the MCMV based vector shows very high efficacy that is comparable to an attenuated retrovirus-based vaccine, and encourages the pursuit of this vaccination strategy.
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Landsberg CD, Megger DA, Hotter D, Rückborn MU, Eilbrecht M, Rashidi-Alavijeh J, Howe S, Heinrichs S, Sauter D, Sitek B, Le-Trilling VTK, Trilling M. A Mass Spectrometry-Based Profiling of Interactomes of Viral DDB1- and Cullin Ubiquitin Ligase-Binding Proteins Reveals NF-κB Inhibitory Activity of the HIV-2-Encoded Vpx. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2978. [PMID: 30619335 PMCID: PMC6305766 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Viruses and hosts are situated in a molecular arms race. To avoid morbidity and mortality, hosts evolved antiviral restriction factors. These restriction factors exert selection pressure on the viruses and drive viral evolution toward increasingly efficient immune antagonists. Numerous viruses exploit cellular DNA damage-binding protein 1 (DDB1)-containing Cullin RocA ubiquitin ligases (CRLs) to induce the ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation of antiviral factors expressed by their hosts. To establish a comprehensive understanding of the underlying protein interaction networks, we performed immuno-affinity precipitations for a panel of DDB1-interacting proteins derived from viruses such as mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV, Murid herpesvirus [MuHV] 1), rat cytomegalovirus Maastricht MuHV2, rat cytomegalovirus English MuHV8, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Cellular interaction partners were identified and quantified by mass spectrometry (MS) and validated by classical biochemistry. The comparative approach enabled us to separate unspecific interactions from specific binding partners and revealed remarkable differences in the strength of interaction with DDB1. Our analysis confirmed several previously described interactions like the interaction of the MCMV-encoded interferon antagonist pM27 with STAT2. We extended known interactions to paralogous proteins like the interaction of the HBV-encoded HBx with different Spindlin proteins and documented interactions for the first time, which explain functional data like the interaction of the HIV-2-encoded Vpr with Bax. Additionally, several novel interactions were identified, such as the association of the HIV-2-encoded Vpx with the transcription factor RelA (also called p65). For the latter interaction, we documented a functional relevance in antagonizing NF-κB-driven gene expression. The mutation of the DDB1 binding interface of Vpx significantly impaired NF-κB inhibition, indicating that Vpx counteracts NF-κB signaling by a DDB1- and CRL-dependent mechanism. In summary, our findings improve the understanding of how viral pathogens hijack cellular DDB1 and CRLs to ensure efficient replication despite the expression of host restriction factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine D Landsberg
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Dominik A Megger
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Medical Proteome-Center, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Dominik Hotter
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Meike U Rückborn
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Mareike Eilbrecht
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jassin Rashidi-Alavijeh
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Howe
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Stefan Heinrichs
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Daniel Sauter
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Barbara Sitek
- Medical Proteome-Center, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | | | - Mirko Trilling
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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Brizić I, Lisnić B, Brune W, Hengel H, Jonjić S. Cytomegalovirus Infection: Mouse Model. CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 122:e51. [PMID: 30044539 PMCID: PMC6347558 DOI: 10.1002/cpim.51] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
This unit describes procedures for infecting newborn and adult mice with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). Methods are included for propagating MCMV in cell cultures and for preparing a more virulent form of MCMV from salivary glands of infected mice. A plaque assay is provided for determining MCMV titers of infected tissues or virus stocks. Also, a method is described for preparing the murine embryonic fibroblasts used for propagating MCMV and for the plaque assay. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilija Brizić
- Department of Histology and Embryology and Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Berislav Lisnić
- Department of Histology and Embryology and Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Wolfram Brune
- Heinrich Pette Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hartmut Hengel
- Institute of Virology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stipan Jonjić
- Department of Histology and Embryology and Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
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STAT2-Dependent Immune Responses Ensure Host Survival despite the Presence of a Potent Viral Antagonist. J Virol 2018; 92:JVI.00296-18. [PMID: 29743368 PMCID: PMC6026732 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00296-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
A pathogen encounter induces interferons, which signal via Janus kinases and STAT transcription factors to establish an antiviral state. However, the host and pathogens are situated in a continuous arms race which shapes host evolution toward optimized immune responses and the pathogens toward enhanced immune-evasive properties. Mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) counteracts interferon responses by pM27-mediated degradation of STAT2, which directly affects the signaling of type I as well as type III interferons. Using MCMV mutants lacking M27 and mice lacking STAT2, we studied the opposing relationship between antiviral activities and viral antagonism in a natural host-pathogen pair in vitro and in vivo In contrast to wild-type (wt) MCMV, ΔM27 mutant MCMV was efficiently cleared from all organs within a few days in BALB/c, C57BL/6, and 129 mice, highlighting the general importance of STAT2 antagonism for MCMV replication. Despite this effective and relevant STAT2 antagonism, wt and STAT2-deficient mice exhibited fundamentally different susceptibilities to MCMV infections. MCMV replication was increased in all assessed organs (e.g., liver, spleen, lungs, and salivary glands) of STAT2-deficient mice, resulting in mortality during the first week after infection. Taken together, the results of our study reveal the importance of cytomegaloviral interferon antagonism for viral replication as well as a pivotal role of the remaining STAT2 activity for host survival. This mutual influence establishes a stable evolutionary standoff situation with fatal consequences when the equilibrium is disturbed.IMPORTANCE The host limits viral replication by the use of interferons (IFNs), which signal via STAT proteins. Several viruses evolved antagonists targeting STATs to antagonize IFNs (e.g., cytomegaloviruses, Zika virus, dengue virus, and several paramyxoviruses). We analyzed infections caused by MCMV expressing or lacking the STAT2 antagonist pM27 in STAT2-deficient and control mice to evaluate its importance for the host and the virus in vitro and in vivo The inability to counteract STAT2 directly translates into exaggerated IFN susceptibility in vitro and pronounced attenuation in vivo Thus, the antiviral activity mediated by IFNs via STAT2-dependent signaling drove the development of a potent MCMV-encoded STAT2 antagonist which became indispensable for efficient virus replication and spread to organs required for dissemination. Despite this clear impact of viral STAT2 antagonism, the host critically required the remaining STAT2 activity to prevent overt disease and mortality upon MCMV infection. Our findings highlight a remarkably delicate balance between host and virus.
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