bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Packaging Cell Lines for Simian Foamy Virus Type 1 Vectors
Authors: Wu Min , Mergia Ayalew
Published: December 2019

Foamy viruses are nonpathogenic retroviruses that offer several unique opportunities for gene transfer in various cell types from different species. We have previously demonstrated the utility of simian foamy virus type 1 (SFV-1) as a vector system by transient expression assay (M. Wu et al., J. Virol. 72:3451–3454, 1998). In this report, we describe the first stable packaging cell lines for foamy virus vectors based on SFV-1. We developed two packaging cell lines in which the helper DNA is placed under the control of either a constitutive cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate-early gene or inducible tetracycline promoter for expression. Although the constitutive packaging expressing cell line had a higher copy number of packaging DNA, the inducible packaging cell line produced four times more vector particles. This result suggested that the structural gene products in the constitutively expressing packaging cell line were expressed at a level that is not toxic to the cells, and thus vector production was reduced. The SFV-1 vector in the presence of vesicular stomatitis virus envelope protein G (VSV-G) produced an insignificant level of transduction, indicating that foamy viruses could not be pseudotyped with VSV-G to generate high-titer vectors. The availability of stable packaging cell lines represents a step toward the use of an SFV-1 vector delivery system that will allow scaled-up production of vector stocks for gene therapy.
Incomplete Regulation of NF-κB by IκBα during Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in A549 Cells
Authors: Fiedler Michael A. , Wernke-Dollries Kara
Published: December 2019

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection of airway epithelial cells results in persistent NF-κB activation and NF-κB-mediated interleukin-8 production. Previous studies in airway epithelial cells demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-induced NF-κB activation is transient due to regulation by IκBα. However, during RSV infection, IκBα has only a partial inhibitory effect on NF-κB activation. Studies presented here demonstrate that neither increased IκBα production which occurs as a result of RSV-induced NF-κB activation nor inhibition of proteasome-mediated IκBα degradation results in a reversal of RSV-induced NF-κB activation. Thus, while manipulation of IκBα results in reversal of TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation, manipulation of IκBα does not result in a reversal of RSV-induced NF-κB activation.
Gastrointestinal Epithelium Is an Early Extrathymic Site for Increased Prevalence of CD34+Progenitor Cells in Contrast to the Thymus during Primary Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
Authors: Mattapallil Joseph J. , Smit-McBride Zeljka , Dandekar Satya
Published: December 2019

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of primary simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection on the prevalence and phenotype of progenitor cells present in the gastrointestinal epithelia of SIV-infected rhesus macaques, a primate model for human immunodeficiency virus pathogenesis. The gastrointestinal epithelium was residence to progenitor cells expressing CD34 antigen, a subset of which also coexpressed Thy-1 and c-kitreceptors, suggesting that the CD34+population in the intestine comprised a subpopulation of primitive precursors. Following experimental SIVmac251 infection, an early increase in the proportions of CD34+Thy-1+and CD34+c-kit+progenitor cells was observed in the gastrointestinal epithelium. In contrast, the proportion of CD34+cells in the thymus declined during primary SIV infection, which was characterized by a decrease in the frequency of CD34+Thy-1+progenitor cells. A severe depletion in the frequency of CD4-committed CD34+progenitors was observed in the gastrointestinal epithelium 2 weeks after SIV infection which persisted even 4 weeks after infection. A coincident increase in the frequency of CD8- committed CD34+progenitor cells was observed during primary SIV infection. These results indicate that in contrast to the primary lymphoid organs such as the thymus, the gastrointestinal epithelium may be an early extrathymic site for the increased prevalence of both primitive and committed CD34+progenitor cells. The gastrointestinal epithelium may potentially play an important role in maintaining T-cell homeostasis in the intestinal mucosa during primary SIV infection.
The Hemagglutinin-Esterase of Mouse Hepatitis Virus Strain S Is a Sialate-4-
O
-Acetylesterase
Authors: Regl Gerhard , Kaser Alexandra , Iwersen Matthias , Schmid Hiltrud , Kohla Guido , Strobl Birgit , Vilas Ulrike , Schauer Roland , Vlasak Reinhard
Published: December 2019

By comparative analysis of the hemagglutinin-esterase (HE) protein of mouse hepatitis virus strain S (MHV-S) and the HE protein of influenza C virus, we found major differences in substrate specificities. In striking contrast to the influenza C virus enzyme, the MHV-S esterase was unable to release acetate from bovine submandibulary gland mucin. Furthermore, MHV-S could not remove influenza C virus receptors from erythrocytes. Analysis with free sialic acid derivatives revealed that the MHV-S HE protein specifically de-O-acetylates 5-
N
-acetyl-4-
O
-acetyl sialic acid (Neu4,5Ac
2
) but not 5-
N
-acetyl-9-
O
-acetyl sialic acid (Neu5,9Ac
2
), which is the major substrate for esterases of influenza C virus and bovine coronaviruses. In addition, the MHV-S esterase converted glycosidically bound Neu4,5Ac
2
of guinea pig serum glycoproteins to Neu5Ac. By expression of the MHV esterase with recombinant vaccinia virus and incubation with guinea pig serum, we demonstrated that the viral HE possesses sialate-4-
O
-acetylesterase activity. In addition to observed enzymatic activity, MHV-S exhibited affinity to guinea pig and horse serum glycoproteins. Binding required sialate-4-
O
-acetyl groups and was abolished by chemical de-O-acetylation. Since Neu4,5Ac
2
has not been identified in mice, the nature of potential substrates and/or secondary receptors for MHV-S in the natural host remains to be determined. The esterase of MHV-S is the first example of a viral enzyme with high specificity and affinity toward 4-O-acetylated sialic acids.
Implication of Interfering Antibody Formation and Apoptosis as Two Different Mechanisms Leading to Variable Duration of Adenovirus-Mediated Transgene Expression in Immune-Competent Mice
Authors: Schowalter David B. , Himeda Charis L. , Winther Brian L. , Wilson Christopher B. , Kay Mark A.
Published: December 2019

This study explores the genetic and immunologic factors involved in the differences in duration of transgene expression following in vivo transduction with recombinant adenoviruses. Different strains of mice (C3H/HeJ [C3H], C57BL/6J [B6], BALB/cJ [Balb/c], C.B10-H2b/LiMcdJ [Balb.B], CB6F1/J [(Balb/c × B6)F1], B6C3F1/J [(B6 × C3H)F1], and BALB/cj SCID) received 5 × 109PFU of the first-generation adenovirus, which expresses human α1-antitrypsin (Ad/RSVhAAT). While all strains studied showed similar patterns of anti-adenovirus antibody formation, only Balb/c and C3H mice developed significant levels of anti-hAAT antibodies by 8 weeks posttransduction. In addition, while all strains had quantitatively comparable amounts of adenovirus genomes and hAAT mRNA transcripts in the liver 9 days posttransduction, only Balb/c mice had undetectable adenovirus vector genomes and hAAT mRNA in the liver 40 days posttransduction. Terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling staining of liver sections from control and Ad/RSVhAAT-infected mice 5, 9, and 40 days posttransduction suggested that apoptosis was involved in the rapid elimination of transduced hepatocytes in Balb/c mice. Persistent expression of hAAT protein observed in BALB/cj SCID mice suggests that antigen-dependent immunity was essential for this apoptotic process in transduced Balb/c hepatocytes. In contrast to Balb/c mice, the loss of expression in C3H mice did not correlate with the loss of vector genomes or hAAT mRNA. Instead, the anti-hAAT antibodies in C3H but not Balb/c mice were found to interfere with detection of hAAT in the serum. In Balb.B and B6 mice, vector genome, hAAT mRNA transcripts, and hAAT protein levels persisted for at least 40 days posttransduction. This persistence correlated with poor anti-hAAT antibody formation and minimal hepatocyte toxicity. The expression of hAAT in (Balb/c × B6)F1pups was found to be intermediate between the duration observed in the parental strains, while in (C3H × B6)F1pups hAAT expression was similar to that seen in the B6 parents, which together support polygenic control of the immune responses in these mice. In summary, these findings suggest that there are three different profiles and at least two defined immune system-mediated mechanisms resulting in the loss of hAAT expression in mice and that different strains differ in the capacity to utilize these mechanisms.
Epithelial Cell Adhesion to Extracellular Matrix Proteins Induces Tyrosine Phosphorylation of the Epstein-Barr Virus Latent Membrane Protein 2: a Role for C-Terminal Src Kinase
Authors: Scholle Frank , Longnecker Richard , Raab-Traub Nancy
Published: December 2019

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent membrane protein 2 (LMP2) is expressed in latently EBV-infected B cells, where it forms patches in the plasma membrane and interferes with B-cell receptor signal transduction through dominant-negative effects on protein kinases. LMP2 transcripts are detected in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, an epithelial-cell malignancy. In this study the function of LMP2A in epithelial cells was investigated. LMP2A was found to coprecipitate with protein kinase activities and to become phosphorylated in in vitro kinase assays. Analysis of LMP2A deletion mutants demonstrated that tyrosines implicated in interacting with Src family kinase SH2 domains and the SH2 domain of Csk, as well as the LMP2A immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif, are important for its phosphorylation in epithelial cells. LMP2A tyrosine phosphorylation was triggered by cell adhesion to extracellular-matrix (ECM) proteins. Src family kinases, whose involvement in cell-ECM signaling and LMP2A phosphorylation in B lymphocytes has been well established, were found not to be responsible for LMP2A phosphorylation in epithelial cells. Instead, coexpression of Csk, a negative Src regulator, and LMP2A led to an increase in LMP2A phosphorylation both in nonadherent cells and upon cell adhesion. Csk also phosphorylated LMP2A in vitro. These results suggest that LMP2A has a different role in epithelial cells, where it interacts with cell adhesion-initiated signaling pathways. Although tyrosine phosphorylation of LMP2A occurs in both cell types, different protein kinases seem to be used: Src family kinases in B lymphocytes and Csk in epithelial cells.
Definition of the Stage of Host Cell Genetic Restriction of Replication of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 in Monocytes and Monocyte-Derived Macrophages by Using Twins
Authors: Naif Hassan M. , Li Shan , Alali Mohammed , Chang Joon , Mayne Carol , Sullivan John , Cunningham Anthony L.
Published: December 2019

Using identical (ID) twins, we have previously demonstrated that host cell genes exert a significant impact on productive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of monocytes and macrophages (J. Chang et al., J. Virol. 70:7792–7803, 1996). Therefore, the stage in the replication cycle at which these host genetic influences act was investigated in a study using 8 pairs of ID twins and 10 pairs of sex- and age-matched unrelated donors (URDs). In the first phase of the study, blood monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) of ID twins and URDs were infected with 15 HIV type 1 strains. Four well-characterized primary isolates and HIV-BaL were then examined in more detail. The host cell genetic effect in MDM was exerted predominantly prior to complete reverse transcription, as the HIV DNA level and p24 antigen levels were concordant (r= 0.91,P= 0.0001) and similar between the pairs of ID twin pairs (r= 0.96,P= 0.0001) but discordant between URD pairs (r= 0.11,P= 0.3) in both phases of the study. To further examine genetic influence on viral entry, we examined the proportion of CCR5 membrane expression on MDM. As expected, there was wide variability in proportion of MDM expressing CCR5 among URDs (r= 0.58,P= 0.2); however, this variability was significantly reduced between ID twin pairs (r= 0.81,P= 0.01). Differences in viral entry did not necessarily correlate with CCR5 expression, and only very low levels of CCR5 expression restricted HIV entry and production. In summary, the host cell genetic effect on HIV replication in macrophages appears to be exerted predominantly pre-reverse transcription. Although CCR5 was necessary for infection, other unidentified host genes are likely to limit productive infection.
Sequences between the Enhancer and Promoter in the Long Terminal Repeat Affect Murine Leukemia Virus Pathogenicity and Replication in the Thymus
Authors: Yoshimura Fayth K. , Wang Tao , Cankovic Milena
Published: December 2019

We previously showed that the 93-bp region between the enhancer and promoter (named DEN for downstream of enhancer) of the long terminal repeat (LTR) of the MCF13 murine leukemia virus is an important determinant of the ability of this virus to induce thymic lymphoma. In this study we observed that DEN plays a role in the regulation of virus replication in the thymus during the preleukemic period. A NF-κB site in the DEN region partially contributes to the effect of DEN on both lymphomagenicity and virus replication. To further study the effects of DEN and the NF-κB site on viral pathogenicity during the preleukemic period, we examined replication of wild-type and mutant viruses with a deletion of the NF-κB site or the entire DEN region in the thymus. Thymic lymphocytes which were infected with wild-type and mutant viruses were predominantly the CD3−CD4+CD8+and CD3+CD4+CD8+cells. The increase in infection by wild-type virus and both mutant viruses of these two subpopulations during the preleukemic period ranged from 9- to 84-fold, depending upon the time point and virus. The major difference between the wild-type and both mutant viruses was the lower rate and lower level of mutant virus replication in these thymic subpopulations. Significant differences in replication between wild-type and both mutant viruses were seen in the CD3−CD4+CD8+and CD3−CD4−CD8−subpopulations, suggesting that these thymic cell types are important targets for viral transformation.
Feline Leukemia Virus Long Terminal Repeat Activates Collagenase IV Gene Expression through AP-1
Authors: Ghosh Sajal K. , Faller Douglas V.
Published: December 2019

Leukemia and lymphoma induced by feline leukemia viruses (FeLVs) are the commonest forms of illness in domestic cats. These viruses do not contain oncogenes, and the source of their pathogenic activity is not clearly understood. Mechanisms involving proto-oncogene activation subsequent to proviral integration and/or development of recombinant viruses with enhanced replication properties are thought to play an important role in their disease pathogenesis. In addition, the long terminal repeat (LTR) regions of these viruses have been shown to be important determinants for pathogenicity and tissue specificity, by virtue of their ability to interact with various transcription factors. Previously, we have shown that, in the case of Moloney murine leukemia virus, the U3 region of the LTR independently induces transcriptional activation of specific cellular genes through an LTR-generated RNA transcript (S. Y. Choi and D. V. Faller, J. Biol. Chem. 269:19691–19694, 1994; S.-Y. Choi and D. V. Faller, J. Virol. 69:7054–7060, 1995). In this report, we show that the U3 region of exogenous FeLV LTRs can induce transcription from collagenase IV (matrix metalloproteinase 9) and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) promoters up to 12-fold. We also show that AP-1 DNA-binding activity and transcriptional activity are strongly induced in cells expressing FeLV LTRs and that LTR-specific RNA transcripts are generated in those cells. Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases 1 and 2 (MEK1 and -2) by the LTR is an intermediate step in the FeLV LTR-mediated induction of AP-1 activity. These findings thus suggest that the LTRs of FeLVs can independently activate transcription of specific cellular genes. This LTR-mediated cellular gene transactivation may play an important role in tumorigenesis or preleukemic states and may be a generalizable activity of leukemia-inducing retroviruses.
Anti-Rex Aptamers as Mimics of the Rex-Binding Element
Authors: Baskerville Scott , Zapp Maria , Ellington Andrew D.
Published: December 2019

RNA molecules that bind tightly and specifically to a Rex fusion protein have been isolated from a conformationally constrained pool of random sequence RNAs. The anti-Rex aptamers effectively mimic several features of the wild-type Rex-binding element (XBE). The highest-affinity aptamers effectively compete with the wild-type XBE for binding to the RNA-binding domain of Rex, an arginine-rich motif (ARM), but do not bind to the functionally analogous Rev protein or its ARM. However, characteristic sequence and structural motifs found in some of the anti-Rex aptamers may provide insights into how the Rex protein can interact with other viral RNAs, such as the Rev-responsive element. The anti-Rex aptamers can functionally substitute for the XBE in vivo, a result which supports a previously proposed model for mRNA transport in which the viral genome serves as a platform for assembling a nucleoprotein complex that can co-opt the cellular transport apparatus. Overall, these studies suggest that anti-Rex aptamers may serve as RNA decoys of the Rex protein.
Visualization of Alternative Epstein-Barr Virus Expression Programs by Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization at the Cell Level
Authors: Szeles Anna , Falk Kerstin I. , Imreh Stephan , Klein George
Published: December 2019

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) transforms human B lymphocytes into immortalized lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). They regularly express six virally encoded nuclear proteins (EBNA1 to EBNA6) and three membrane proteins (LMP1, LMP2A, and LMP2B). In contrast, EBV-carrying Burkitt lymphoma (BL) cells in vivo and derived type I cell lines that maintain the BL phenotype express only EBNA1. During prolonged in vitro culturing, most EBV-carrying BL lines drift toward a more immunoblastic (type II or III) phenotype. Their viral antigen expression is upregulated in parallel. We have used fluorescent in situ hybridization to visualize viral transcripts in type I and III BL lines and LCLs. In type I cells, EBNA1 is encoded by a monocistronic message that originates from the Qp promoter. In type III cells, the EBNA1 transcript is spliced from a giant polycistronic message that originates from one of several alternative Wp or Cp promoters and encodes all six EBNAs. We have obtained a “track” signal with a
Bam
HI W DNA probe that could hybridize with the polycistronic but not with the monocistronic message in two type III BL lines (Namalwa-Cl8 and MUTU III) and three LCLs (LCL IB4-D, LCL-970402, and IARC-171). A
Bam
HI K probe that can hybridize to both the monocistronic and the polycistronic message visualized the same pattern in the type III BLs and the LCLs as the
Bam
HI W probe. A positive signal was obtained with the
Bam
HI K but not the
Bam
HI W probe in the type I BL lines MUTU I and Rael. The RNA track method can thus distinguish between cells that use a type III and those that use a type I program. The former cells hybridize with both the W and the K probes, but the latter cells hybridize with only the K probe. Our findings may open the way for studies of the important but still unanswered question of whether cells with type I latency arise from immunoblasts with a full type III program or are generated by a separate pathway during primary infection.
Human Memory Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte (CTL) Responses to Hantaan Virus Infection: Identification of Virus-Specific and Cross-Reactive CD8+CTL Epitopes on Nucleocapsid Protein
Authors: Van Epps Heather L. , Schmaljohn Connie S. , Ennis Francis A.
Published: December 2019

Hantaan virus, the prototypic member of theHantavirusgenus, causes hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in humans. We examined the human memory T-lymphocyte responses of three donors who had previous laboratory-acquired infections with Hantaan virus. We demonstrated virus-specific responses in bulk cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from all donors. Bulk T-cell responses were directed against either Hantaan virus nucleocapsid (N) or G1 protein, and these responses varied between donors. We established both CD4+and CD8+N-specific cell lines from two donors and CD4+G1-specific cell lines from a third donor. All CD8+cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) lines recognized one of two epitopes on the nucleocapsid protein: one epitope spanning amino acids 12 to 20 and the other spanning amino acids 421 to 429. The CTL lines specific for amino acids 12 to 20 were restricted by HLA B51, and those specific for amino acids 421 to 429 were restricted by HLA A1. The N-specific CTL lines isolated from these two donors included both Hantaan virus-specific CTLs and hantavirus cross-reactive CTLs. Responses to both epitopes are detectable in short-term bulk cultures of PBMC from one donor, and precursor frequency analysis confirms that CTLs specific for these epitopes are present at relatively high precursor frequencies in the peripheral T-cell pool. These data suggest that infection with Hantaan virus results in the generation of CTL to limited epitopes on the nucleocapsid protein and that infection also results in the generation of cross-reactive T-cell responses to distantly related hantaviruses which cause the distinct hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. This is the first demonstration of human T-lymphocyte responses to Hantaan virus.
Translation Elongation Factor 1-Alpha Interacts Specifically with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Gag Polyprotein
Authors: Cimarelli Andrea , Luban Jeremy
Published: December 2019

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)
gag
-encoded proteins play key functions at almost all stages of the viral life cycle. Since these functions may require association with cellular factors, the HIV-1 matrix protein (MA) was used as bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen to identify MA-interacting proteins. MA was found to interact with elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1α), an essential component of the translation machinery that delivers aminoacyl-tRNA to ribosomes. EF1α was then shown to bind the entire HIV-1 Gag polyprotein. This interaction is mediated not only by MA, but also by the nucleocapsid domain, which provides a second, independent EF1α-binding site on the Gag polyprotein. EF1α is incorporated within HIV-1 virion membranes, where it is cleaved by the viral protease and protected from digestion by exogenously added subtilisin. The specificity of the interaction is demonstrated by the fact that EF1α does not bind to nonlentiviral MAs and does not associate with Moloney murine leukemia virus virions. The Gag-EF1α interaction appears to be mediated by RNA, in that basic residues in MA and NC are required for binding to EF1α, RNase disrupts the interaction, and a Gag mutant with undetectable EF1α-binding activity is impaired in its ability to associate with tRNA in cells. Finally, the interaction between MA and EF1α impairs translation in vitro, a result consistent with a previously proposed model in which inhibition of translation by the accumulation of Gag serves to release viral RNA from polysomes, permitting the RNA to be packaged into nascent virions.
Cell Cycle- and Vpr-Mediated Regulation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Expression in Primary and Transformed T-Cell Lines
Authors: Gummuluru Suryaram , Emerman Michael
Published: December 2019

Viral protein R (Vpr) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transiently arrests cells in the G
2
phase of the cell cycle and is a weak transcriptional transactivator. We found that Vpr increased HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) activity in all cells examined but, when expressed at high levels, decreased HIV-1 LTR expression due to cytotoxic effects. Moreover, Vpr-mediated enhancement of HIV-1 LTR-driven transcription was observed in cycling primary human CD4
+
T cells but not in terminally differentiated, noncycling primary human macrophages. In single-round infection experiments using primary human CD4
+
T cells, proviral clones expressing either wild-type Vpr or Vpr mutants that retained the ability to cause a G
2
arrest replicated to higher levels than proviruses lacking Vpr or expressing mutants of Vpr that did not cause an arrest. In support of the hypothesis that enhancement of HIV-1 LTR transcription by Vpr is an indirect effect of the ability of Vpr to delay cells in G
2
, counterflow centrifugal elutriation of cells into different phases of the cell cycle demonstrated that HIV-1 LTR expression was highest in G
2
. Finally, the ability of Vpr to upregulate viral transcription was dependent on a minimal promoter containing a functional TATA box and an enhancer.
Human and Rodent Transcription Elongation Factor P-TEFb: Interactions with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Tat and Carboxy-Terminal Domain Substrate
Authors: Ramanathan Y. , Reza Syed M. , Young Tara M. , Mathews Michael B. , Pe’ery Tsafi
Published: December 2019

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transcriptional regulator Tat increases the efficiency of elongation, and complexes containing the cellular kinase CDK9 have been implicated in this process. CDK9 is part of the Tat-associated kinase TAK and of the elongation factor P-TEFb (positive transcription elongation factor-b), which consists minimally of CDK9 and cyclin T. TAK and P-TEFb are both able to phosphorylate the carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II, but their relationships to one another and to the stimulation of elongation by Tat are not well characterized. Here we demonstrate that human cyclin T1 (but not cyclin T2) interacts with the activation domain of Tat and is a component of TAK as well as of P-TEFb. Rodent (mouse and Chinese hamster) cyclin T1 is defective in Tat binding and transactivation, but hamster CDK9 interacts with human cyclin T1 to give active TAK in hybrid cells containing human chromosome 12. Although TAK is phosphorylated on both serine and threonine residues, it specifically phosphorylates serine 5 in the CTD heptamer. TAK is found in the nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions of human cells as a large complex (∼950 kDa). Magnesium or zinc ions are required for the association of Tat with the kinase. We suggest a model in which Tat first interacts with P-TEFb to form the TAK complex that engages with TAR RNA and the elongating transcription complex, resulting in hyperphosphorylation of the CTD on serine 5 residues.
Lack of Viral Escape and Defective In Vivo Activation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes in Rapidly Progressive Infection
Authors: Hay Christine M. , Ruhl Debbie J. , Basgoz Nesli O. , Wilson Cara C. , Billingsley James M. , DePasquale Maria Pia , D’Aquila Richard T. , Wolinsky Steven M. , Crawford John M. , Montefiori David C. , Walker Bruce D.
Published: December 2019

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-specific immune responses over the course of rapidly progressive infection are not well defined. Detailed longitudinal analyses of neutralizing antibodies, lymphocyte proliferation, in vivo-activated and memory cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses, and viral sequence variation were performed on a patient who presented with acute HIV-1 infection, developed an AIDS-defining illness 13 months later, and died 45 months after presentation. Neutralizing-antibody responses remained weak throughout, and no HIV-1-specific lymphocyte proliferative responses were seen even early in the disease course. Strong in vivo-activated CTL directed against Env and Pol epitopes were present at the time of the initial drop in viremia but were quickly lost. Memory CTL against Env and Pol epitopes were detected throughout the course of infection; however, these CTL were not activated in vivo. Despite an initially narrow CTL response, new epitopes were not targeted as the disease progressed. Viral sequencing showed the emergence of variants within the two targeted CTL epitopes; however, viral variants within the immunodominant Env epitope were well recognized by CTL, and there was no evidence of viral escape from immune system detection within this epitope. These data demonstrate a narrowly directed, static CTL response in a patient with rapidly progressive disease. We also show that disease progression can occur in the presence of persistent memory CTL recognition of autologous epitopes and in the absence of detectable escape from CTL responses, consistent with an in vivo defect in activation of CTL.
Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 Expression Is Induced by Epstein-Barr Virus Latent Membrane Protein 1 C-Terminal Activation Regions 1 and 2
Authors: Takeshita Hajime , Yoshizaki Tomokazu , Miller William E. , Sato Hiroshi , Furukawa Mitsuru , Pagano Joseph S. , Raab-Traub Nancy
Published: December 2019

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), which is closely associated with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), is a highly metastatic malignant tumor. An important activity in tumor invasion and metastasis is that of the 92-kDa type IV collagenase or gelatinase, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), which mediates the degradation of the basement membrane and extracellular matrix. The expression of MMP-9 has been shown to be enhanced by the EBV oncoprotein, latent membrane protein 1 (LMP-1). LMP-1, which is expressed in NPC, has two essential signaling domains within the carboxy terminus, termed C-terminal activation regions 1 (CTAR-1) and CTAR-2. This study reveals that either signaling domain can activate the MMP-9 promoter and induce MMP-9 activity; however, LMP-1 deletion mutants lacking either CTAR-1 or CTAR-2 had a decreased ability to induce MMP-9 expression. The deletion of both activation regions completely abolished the induction of MMP-9 activity, while the cotransfection of both the CTAR-1 and CTAR-2 deletion mutants restored MMP-9 activity to levels produced by wild-type LMP-1. The NF-κB and activator protein 1 (AP-1) binding sites in the MMP-9 promoter were essential for the activation of MMP-9 gene expression by both CTAR-1 and CTAR-2. The induction of MMP-9 expression by LMP-1 and both CTAR-1 and CTAR-2 mutants was blocked by the overexpression of IκB. The tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF) pathway also contributed to the activation of the MMP-9 promoter as shown by the use of TRAF-2 and TRAF-3 dominant-negative constructs. These data indicate that the activation of both the NF-κB and AP-1 pathways by LMP-1, CTAR-1, and CTAR-2 is necessary for the activation of MMP-9 expression. In NPC, LMP-1 may contribute to invasiveness and metastasis through the induction of MMP-9 transcription and enzymatic activity.
Identification of the Immediate-Early Transcripts of Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus
Authors: Zhu Fan Xiu , Cusano Teresa , Yuan Yan
Published: December 2019

In the immediate-early phase of reactivation or primary infection, herpesviruses express a small number of genes without requiring prior viral protein synthesis. Immediate-early genes usually encode regulatory proteins critical for the viral life cycle. Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) gene transcription in the immediate-early stage of viral reactivation was examined by using a chemical induction combined with a gene expression screening method. RNA transcripts from at least four KSHV genomic loci accumulate when latently infected B-lymphoma cells are induced for reactivation in the presence of an inhibitor of protein synthesis (cycloheximide) and thus represent immediate-early class transcripts. Among them, a 3.6-kb mRNA encodes three putative open reading frames (ORFs), namely, ORF50, K8, and K8.2. ORF50 is a homologue of Rta, a transcription activator encoded by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The K8 gene codes for a 237-amino-acid protein with a basic-leucine zipper domain near its C terminus and an acidic domain near its N terminus and which closely resembles the ZEBRA protein of EBV and Jun/Fos family proteins. Other immediate-early mRNAs of KSHV include a 1.7-kb mRNA encoding ORF45, a 2.0-kb mRNA encoding ORF K4.2, and a 4.5-kb mRNA. Functional roles of products of these KSHV immediate-early transcripts remain to be studied.
The Versatility of Paramyxovirus RNA Polymerase Stuttering
Authors: Hausmann Stéphane , Garcin Dominique , Delenda Christophe , Kolakofsky Daniel
Published: December 2019

Paramyxoviruses cotranscriptionally edit their P gene mRNAs by expanding the number of Gs of a conserved A
n
G
n
run. Different viruses insert different distributions of guanylates, e.g., Sendai virus inserts a single G, whereas parainfluenza virus type 3 inserts one to six Gs. The sequences conserved at the editing site, as well as the experimental evidence, suggest that the insertions occur by a stuttering process, i.e., by pseudotemplated transcription. The number of times the polymerase “stutters” at the editing site before continuing strictly templated elongation is directed by a
cis
-acting sequence found upstream of the insertions. We have examined the stuttering process during natural virus infections by constructing recombinant Sendai viruses with mutations in their
cis
-acting sequences. We found that the template stutter site is precisely determined (C
1052
) and that a relatively short region (∼6 nucleotides) just upstream of the A
n
G
n
run can modulate the overall frequency of mRNA editing as well as the distribution of the nucleotide insertions. The positions more proximal to the 5′ A
n
G
n
run are the most important in this respect. We also provide evidence that the stability of the mRNA/template hybrid plays a determining role in the overall frequency and range of mRNA editing. When the template U run is extended all the way to the stutter site, adenylates rather than guanylates are added at the editing site and their distribution begins to resemble the polyadenylation associated with mRNA 3′ end formation by the viral polymerase. Our data suggest how paramyxovirus mRNA editing and polyadenylation are related mechanistically and how editing sites may have evolved from poly(A)-termination sites or vice versa.
γδ+T Cells Regulate Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II (IA and IE)-Dependent Susceptibility to Coxsackievirus B3-Induced Autoimmune Myocarditis
Authors: Huber S. A. , Stone J. E. , Wagner D. H. , Kupperman J. , Pfeiffer L. , David C. , O’Brien R. L. , Davis G. S. , Newell M. K.
Published: December 2019

Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) infection induces myocardial inflammation and myocyte necrosis in some, but not all, strains of mice. C57BL/6 mice, which inherently lack major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II IE antigen, develop minimal cardiac lesions despite high levels of virus in the heart. The present experiments evaluate the relative roles of class II IA and IE expression on myocarditis susceptibility in four transgenic C57BL/6 mouse strains differing in MHC class II antigen expression. Animals lacking MHC class II IE antigen (C57BL/6 [IA+IE−] and ABo[IA−IE−]) developed minimal cardiac lesions subsequent to infection despite high concentrations of virus in the heart. In contrast, strains expressing IE (ABoEα [IA−IE+] and Bl.Tg.Eα [IA+IE+]) had substantial cardiac injury. Myocarditis susceptibility correlated to a Th1 (gamma interferon-positive) cell response in the spleen, while disease resistance correlated to a preferential Th2 (interleukin-4-positive) phenotype. Vγ/Vδ analysis indicates that distinct subpopulations of γδ+T cells are activated after CVB3 infection of C57BL/6 and Bl.Tg.Eα mice. Depletion of γδ+T cells abrogated myocarditis susceptibility in IE+animals and resulted in a Th1→Th2 phenotype shift. These studies indicate that the MHC class II antigen haplotype controls myocarditis susceptibility, that this control is most likely mediated through the type of γδ T cells activated during CVB3 infection, and finally that different subpopulations of γδ+T cells may either promote or inhibit Th1 cell responses.
Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigen 3C Interacts with Histone Deacetylase To Repress Transcription
Authors: Radkov Stoyan A. , Touitou Robert , Brehm Alex , Rowe Martin , West Michelle , Kouzarides Tony , Allday Martin J.
Published: December 2019

EBNA3C can specifically repress the expression of reporter plasmids containing EBV Cp latency-associated promoter elements. Cp is normally the main promoter for EBNA mRNA initiation, so it appears that EBNA3C contributes to a negative autoregulatory control loop. By mutational analysis it was previously established that this repression is consistent with EBNA3C being targeted to Cp by binding the cellular sequence-specific DNA-binding protein CBF1 (also known as recombination signal-binding protein [RBP]-Jκ. Further analysis suggested that in vivo a corepressor interacts with EBNA3C in this DNA binding complex. Results presented here are all consistent with a component of such a corepressor exhibiting histone deacetylase activity. The drug trichostatin A, which specifically inhibits histone deacetylases, relieved two- to threefold the repression of Cp induced by EBNA3C in two different cell types. Moreover, repression of pTK-CAT-Cp4× by EBNA3C was specifically enhanced by cotransfection of an expression plasmid for human histone deacetylase-1 (HDAC1). Consistent with these functional assays, in vitro-translated HDAC1 bound to a glutathione
S
-transferase (GST) fusion protein including full-length EBNA3C, and in the reciprocal experiment EBNA3C bound to a GST fusion with the N terminus of HDAC1. Coimmunoprecipitations also revealed an EBNA3C-HDAC1 interaction in vivo, and GST-EBNA3C bound functional histone deacetylase enzyme activity from HeLa cell nuclear extracts. The region of EBNA3C involved in the interaction with HDAC1 appears to correspond to the region which is necessary for binding to CBF1/RBP-Jκ. A direct physical interaction between EBNA3C and HDAC1 was demonstrated with recombinant proteins purified from bacterial cells, and we therefore conclude that HDAC1 and CBF1/RBP-Jκ bind to the same or adjacent regions of EBNA3C. These data suggest that recruitment of histone deacetylase activity makes a significant contribution to the repression of transcription from Cp because EBNA3C bridges an interaction between CBF1/RBP-Jκ and HDAC1.
Peptide Ligands to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 gp120 Identified from Phage Display Libraries
Authors: Ferrer Marc , Harrison Stephen C.
Published: December 2019

We have used phage-displayed peptide libraries to identify novel ligands to the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein gp120. Screening of libraries of random 12-mers, 7-mers, and cyclic 9-mers produced two families of gp120 binding peptides. Members of a family with the prototype sequence RINNIPWSEAMM (peptide 12p1) inhibit the interaction between gp120 and both four-domain soluble CD4 (4dCD4) and monoclonal antibody (MAb) 17b, a neutralizing antibody that covers the chemokine receptor binding surface on gp120. Peptide 12p1 inhibits the interaction of 4dCD4 with gp120 from three different HIV strains, implying that it binds to a conserved site on gp120. Members of a second family of peptides, with the prototype sequence TSPYEDWQTYLM (peptide 12p2), bind more weakly to gp120. They do not detectably affect its interaction with 4dCD4, but they enhance its binding to MAb 17b. A common sequence motif in the two peptide families and cross-competition for gp120 binding suggest that they have overlapping contacts. Their divergent effects on the affinity of gp120 for MAb 17b may indicate that their binding stabilizes distinct conformational states of gp120. The functional properties of 12p1 suggest that it might be a useful lead for the development of inhibitors of HIV entry.
Expression and Use of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Coreceptors by Human Alveolar Macrophages
Authors: Worgall Stefan , Connor Ruth , Kaner Robert J. , Fenamore Elizabeth , Sheridan Kristine , Singh Ravi , Crystal Ronald G.
Published: December 2019

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) requires, in addition to CD4, coreceptors of the CC or CXC chemokine families for productive infection of T cells and cells of the monocyte-macrophage lineage. Based on the hypothesis that coreceptor expression on alveolar macrophages (AM) may influence HIV-1 infection of AM in the lung, this study analyzes the expression and utilization of HIV-1 coreceptors on AM of healthy individuals. AM were productively infected with five different primary isolates of HIV-1. Levels of surface expression of CCR5, CXCR4, and CD4 were low compared to those of blood monocytes, but CCR3 was not detectable. mRNA for CCR5, CXCR4, CCR2, and CCR3 were all detectable, but to varying degrees and with variability among donors. Expression of CCR5, CXCR4, and CCR2 mRNA was downregulated following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In contrast, secretion of the chemokines RANTES, MIP-1α, and MIP-1β was upregulated with LPS stimulation. Interestingly, HIV-1 replication was diminished following LPS stimulation. Infection of AM with HIV-1 in the presence of the CC chemokines demonstrated blocking of infection. Together, these studies demonstrate that AM can be infected by a variety of primary HIV-1 isolates, AM express a variety of chemokine receptors, the dominant coreceptor used for HIV entry into AM is CCR5, the expression of these receptors is dependent on the state of activation of AM, and the ability of HIV-1 to infect AM may be modulated by expression of the chemokine receptors and by chemokines per se.
Functional Analysis of Carboxy-Terminal Deletion Mutants of c-Myb
Authors: Wang Duen-Mei , Dubendorff John W. , Woo Colleen H. , Lipsick Joseph S.
Published: December 2019

The c-
myb
gene is implicated in the differentiation and proliferation of hematopoietic cells. Truncations of the N and/or C terminus of c-Myb, found in v-Myb, can potentiate its transforming ability. Two negative regulatory subregions, located in the C terminus, were mapped previously by using GAL4–c-Myb fusion proteins in transient transfection assays for the transcriptional activation of a GAL4-responsive reporter gene. To dissect the C terminus of c-Myb in terms of its involvement in transcriptional activation and oncogenic transformation, a series of C-terminal deletion mutants of c-Myb were analyzed. In addition, linker insertion mutants within the transactivation domain and/or heptad leucine repeat of c-Myb were examined along with those deletion mutants. In this study, we demonstrated that the removal of both of the two previously mapped negative regulatory subregions from the native form of c-Myb not only supertransactivates a Myb-responsive reporter gene but also potentiates its transforming ability in culture. However, in contrast to previous results, cells transformed by all of the mutants analyzed here except v-Myb itself exhibited the same phenotype as those transformed by c-Myb. The proliferating cells were bipotenial and differentiated into both the granulocytic and monocytic lineages. This result implies that the C terminus of c-Myb alone has no effect on the lineage determination. Finally, the transactivation activities of these mutants correlated with their transforming activities when a
mim-1
reporter gene was used but not when a model promoter containing five tandem Myb-binding sites was used. In particular, a very weakly transforming mutant with a linker insertion in the heptad leucine repeat superactivated the model promoter but not the
mim-1
reporter gene.
Replication of Murine Cytomegalovirus in Differentiated Macrophages as a Determinant of Viral Pathogenesis
Authors: Hanson Laura K. , Slater Jacquelyn S. , Karabekian Zaruhi , Virgin Herbert W. , Biron Christine A. , Ruzek Melanie C. , van Rooijen Nico , Ciavarra Richard P. , Stenberg Richard M. , Campbell Ann E.
Published: December 2019

Blood monocytes or tissue macrophages play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection, providing functions beneficial to both the virus and the host. In vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that differentiated macrophages support MCMV replication, are target cells for MCMV infection within tissues, and harbor latent MCMV DNA. However, this cell type presumably initiates early, antiviral immune responses as well. In addressing this paradoxical role of macrophages, we provide evidence that the proficiency of MCMV replication in macrophages positively correlates with virulence in vivo. An MCMV mutant from which the open reading frames M139, M140, and M141 had been deleted (RV10) was defective in its ability to replicate in macrophages in vitro and was highly attenuated for growth in vivo. However, depletion of splenic macrophages significantly enhanced, rather than deterred, replication of both wild-type (WT) virus and RV10 in the spleen. The ability of RV10 to replicate in intact or macrophage-depleted spleens was independent of cytokine production, as this mutant virus was a poor inducer of cytokines compared to WT virus in both intact organs and macrophage-depleted organs. Macrophages were, however, a major contributor to the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha and gamma interferon in response to WT virus infection. Thus, the data indicate that tissue macrophages serve a net protective role and may function as “filters” in protecting other highly permissive cell types from MCMV infection. The magnitude of virus replication in tissue macrophages may dictate the amount of virus accessible to the other cells. Concomitantly, infection of this cell type initiates the production of antiviral immune responses to guarantee efficient clearance of acute MCMV infection.
Isolation and Molecular Characterization of a Poliovirus Type 1 Mutant That Replicates in the Spinal Cords of Mice
Authors: Jia Qingmei , Ohka Seii , Iwasaki Kuniko , Tohyama Koujiro , Nomoto Akio
Published: December 2019

The Mahoney strain of poliovirus type 1 (OM) is generally unable to cause paralysis in mice. We isolated a mouse-adapted mutant, PV1/OM-SA (SA), from the spinal cord of a mouse that had been intracerebrally inoculated with OM. SA showed mouse neurovirulence only with intraspinal inoculation, and the infected mice developed a flaccid paralysis, which was indistinguishable from that observed in poliovirus-sensitive transgenic mice inoculated with OM. SA antigens were detected in neurons of the spinal cords of the infected mice. Nucleotide (nt) sequence analysis revealed 9 nt changes on the SA genome, resulting in three amino acid (a.a.) substitutions, i.e., one each in the capsid proteins VP4 and VP1 and in the noncapsid protein 2C. To identify the key mutation site(s) for the mouse neurovirulence, virus recombinants between OM and SA were constructed by using infectious cDNA clones of these two viruses and tested for their mouse neurovirulence after inoculation via an intraspinal route. The results indicated that a mutation at nt 928 (replacement of A with G), resulting in a substitution of Met for Ile at a.a. 62 within VP4, was responsible for conferring the mouse neurovirulence phenotype of the mutant SA. The mutation in VP4 may render the virus accessible to a molecule that acts as a virus receptor and is located on the surfaces of neurons of the mouse spinal cord. This molecule appears not to be expressed in the mouse brain.