Sialic Acids on Varicella-Zoster Virus Glycoprotein B Are Required for Cell-Cell Fusion

ABSTRACT The conserved glycoproteins gB and gH-gL are essential for herpesvirus entry and cell-cell fusion induced syncytium formation, a characteristic of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) pathology in skin and sensory ganglia. VZV syncytium formation, which has been implicated in the painful condition of postherpetic neuralgia, is regulated by the cytoplasmic domains of gB (gBcyt) via an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif (ITIM) and gH (gHcyt). A lysine cluster (K894, K897, K898, and K900) in the VZV gBcyt was identified by sequence alignment to be conserved among alphaherpesviruses, suggesting a functional role. Alanine and arginine substitutions were used to determine if the positive charge and susceptibility to posttranslational modifications of these lysines contributed to gB/gH-gL cell-cell fusion. Critically, the positive charge of the lysine residues was necessary for fusion regulation, as alanine substitutions induced a 440% increase in fusion compared to that of the wild-type gBcyt while arginine substitutions had wild-type-like fusion levels in an in vitro gB/gH-gL cell fusion assay. Consistent with these results, the alanine substitutions in the viral genome caused exaggerated syncytium formation, reduced VZV titers (−1.5 log10), and smaller plaques than with the parental Oka (pOka) strain. In contrast, arginine substitutions resulted in syncytia with only 2-fold more nuclei, a −0.5-log10 reduction in titers, and pOka-like plaques. VZV mutants with both an ITIM mutation and either alanine or arginine substitutions had reduced titers and small plaques but differed in syncytium morphology. Thus, effective VZV propagation is dependent on cell-cell fusion regulation by the conserved gBcyt lysine cluster, in addition to the gBcyt ITIM and the gHcyt. IMPORTANCE Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a ubiquitous pathogen that causes chickenpox and shingles. Individuals afflicted with shingles risk developing the painful condition of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), which has been difficult to treat because the underlying cause is not well understood. Additional therapies are needed, as the current vaccine is not recommended for immunocompromised individuals and its efficacy decreases with the age of the recipient. VZV is known to induce the formation of multinuclear cells in neuronal tissue, which has been proposed to be a factor contributing to PHN. This study examines the role of a lysine cluster in the cytoplasmic domain of the VZV fusion protein, gB, in the formation of VZV induced multinuclear cells and in virus replication kinetics and spread. The findings further elucidate how VZV self-regulates multinuclear cell formation and may provide insight into the development of new PHN therapies.

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Dysregulated Glycoprotein B-Mediated Cell-Cell Fusion Disrupts Varicella-Zoster Virus and Host Gene Transcription during Infection

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.01613-16 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 91 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Stefan L. Oliver ◽

Edward Yang ◽

Ann M. Arvin

Keyword(s):

Varicella Zoster Virus ◽

Cell Fusion ◽

Cellular Responses ◽

Melanoma Cells ◽

Live Cell ◽

Effective Vaccine ◽

Viral Glycoprotein ◽

Varicella Zoster ◽

Multinucleated Cells ◽

Cell Cell

ABSTRACT The highly conserved herpesvirus glycoprotein complex gB/gH-gL mediates membrane fusion during virion entry and cell-cell fusion. Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) characteristically forms multinucleated cells, or syncytia, during the infection of human tissues, but little is known about this process. The cytoplasmic domain of VZV gB (gBcyt) has been implicated in cell-cell fusion regulation because a gB[Y881F] substitution causes hyperfusion. gBcyt regulation is necessary for VZV pathogenesis, as the hyperfusogenic mutant gB[Y881F] is severely attenuated in human skin xenografts. In this study, gBcyt-regulated fusion was investigated by comparing melanoma cells infected with wild-type-like VZV or hyperfusogenic mutants. The gB[Y881F] mutant exhibited dramatically accelerated syncytium formation in melanoma cells caused by fusion of infected cells with many uninfected cells, increased cytoskeleton reorganization, and rapid displacement of nuclei to dense central structures compared to pOka using live-cell confocal microscopy. VZV and human transcriptomes were concurrently investigated using whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) to identify viral and cellular responses induced when gBcyt regulation was disrupted by the gB[Y881F] substitution. The expression of four vital VZV genes, ORF61 and the genes for glycoproteins gC, gE, and gI, was significantly reduced at 36 h postinfection for the hyperfusogenic mutants. Importantly, hierarchical clustering demonstrated an association of differential gene expression with dysregulated gBcyt-mediated fusion. A subset of Ras GTPase genes linked to membrane remodeling were upregulated in cells infected with the hyperfusogenic mutants. These data implicate gBcyt in the regulation of gB fusion function that, if unmodulated, triggers cellular processes leading to hyperfusion that attenuates VZV infection. IMPORTANCE The highly infectious, human-restricted pathogen varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes chickenpox and shingles. Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a common complication of shingles that manifests as prolonged excruciating pain, which has proven difficult to treat. The formation of fused multinucleated cells in ganglia might be associated with this condition. An effective vaccine against VZV is available but not recommended for immunocompromised individuals, highlighting the need for new therapies. This study investigated the viral and cellular responses to hyperfusion, a condition where the usual constraints of cell membranes are overcome and cells form multinucleated cells. This process hinders VZV and is regulated by a viral glycoprotein, gB. A combination of live-cell imaging and next-generation genomics revealed an alteration in viral and cellular responses during hyperfusion that was caused by the loss of gB regulation. These studies reveal mechanisms central to VZV pathogenesis, potentially leading to improved therapies.

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The varicella zoster virus glycoprotein B (gB) plays a role in virus binding to cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans

Virus Research ◽

10.1016/s0168-1702(97)00149-4 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 53 (2) ◽

pp. 197-207 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Alain Jacquet ◽

Michèle Haumont ◽

Daya Chellun ◽

Marc Massaer ◽

Frank Tufaro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Surface ◽

Heparan Sulfate ◽

Varicella Zoster Virus ◽

Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans ◽

Glycoprotein B ◽

Virus Binding ◽

Varicella Zoster ◽

Virus Glycoprotein

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Calcineurin phosphatase activity regulates Varicella-Zoster Virus induced cell-cell fusion

PLoS Pathogens ◽

10.1371/journal.ppat.1009022 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (11) ◽

pp. e1009022 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Momei Zhou ◽

Vivek Kamarshi ◽

Ann M. Arvin ◽

Stefan L. Oliver

Keyword(s):

Varicella Zoster Virus ◽

Host Cell ◽

Phosphatase Activity ◽

Cell Fusion ◽

High Throughput Screening ◽

Host Factors ◽

Varicella Zoster ◽

Calcineurin Phosphatase ◽

Cell Cell

Cell-cell fusion (abbreviated as cell fusion) is a characteristic pathology of medically important viruses, including varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the causative agent of chickenpox and shingles. Cell fusion is mediated by a complex of VZV glycoproteins, gB and gH-gL, and must be tightly regulated to enable skin pathogenesis based on studies with gB and gH hyperfusogenic VZV mutants. Although the function of gB and gH-gL in the regulation of cell fusion has been explored, whether host factors are directly involved in this regulation process is unknown. Here, we discovered host factors that modulated VZV gB/gH-gL mediated cell fusion via high-throughput screening of bioactive compounds with known cellular targets. Two structurally related non-antibiotic macrolides, tacrolimus and pimecrolimus, both significantly increased VZV gB/gH-gL mediated cell fusion. These compounds form a drug-protein complex with FKBP1A, which binds to calcineurin and specifically inhibits calcineurin phosphatase activity. Inhibition of calcineurin phosphatase activity also enhanced both herpes simplex virus-1 fusion complex and syncytin-1 mediated cell fusion, indicating a broad role of calcineurin in modulating this process. To characterize the role of calcineurin phosphatase activity in VZV gB/gH-gL mediated fusion, a series of biochemical, biological and infectivity assays was performed. Pimecrolimus-induced, enhanced cell fusion was significantly reduced by shRNA knockdown of FKBP1A, further supporting the role of calcineurin phosphatase activity in fusion regulation. Importantly, inhibition of calcineurin phosphatase activity during VZV infection caused exaggerated syncytia formation and suppressed virus propagation, which was consistent with the previously reported phenotypes of gB and gH hyperfusogenic VZV mutants. Seven host cell proteins that remained uniquely phosphorylated when calcineurin phosphatase activity was inhibited were identified as potential downstream factors involved in fusion regulation. These findings demonstrate that calcineurin is a critical host cell factor pivotal in the regulation of VZV induced cell fusion, which is essential for VZV pathogenesis.

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Varicella-Zoster Virus Glycoprotein I Is Essential for Spread in Dorsal Root Ganglia and Facilitates Axonal Localization of Structural Virion Components in Neuronal Cultures

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.02293-13 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 87 (24) ◽

pp. 13719-13728 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

J. Christensen ◽

M. Steain ◽

B. Slobedman ◽

A. Abendroth

Keyword(s):

Varicella Zoster Virus ◽

Dorsal Root Ganglia ◽

Dorsal Root ◽

Neuronal Cultures ◽

Varicella Zoster ◽

Virus Glycoprotein ◽

Glycoprotein I

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Herpes simplex virus glycoprotein B (gB) mutations define structural sites in domain I, the membrane proximal region, and the cytodomain that regulate entry.

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.01050-21 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Qing Fan ◽

Richard Longnecker ◽

Sarah A. Connolly

Keyword(s):

Cell Fusion ◽

Virus Entry ◽

Proximal Region ◽

Glycoprotein B ◽

Viral Fusion ◽

Viral Fusion Protein ◽

Membrane Proximal Region ◽

Domain V ◽

Domain I ◽

Cell Cell

The viral fusion protein glycoprotein B (gB) is conserved in all herpesviruses and is essential for virus entry. During entry, gB fuses viral and host cell membranes by refolding from a prefusion to a postfusion form. We previously introduced three structure-based mutations (gB-I671A/H681A/F683A) into the domain V arm of the gB ectodomain that resulted in reduced cell-cell fusion. A virus carrying these three mutations (called gB3A) displayed a small plaque phenotype and remarkably delayed entry into cells. To identify mutations that could counteract this phenotype, we serially passaged the gB3A virus and selected for revertant viruses with increased plaque size. Genomic sequencing revealed that the revertant viruses had second-site mutations in gB, including E187A, M742T, and S383F/G645R/V705I/V880G. Using expression constructs encoding these mutations, only gB-V880G was shown to enhance cell-cell fusion. In contrast, all of the revertant viruses showed enhanced entry kinetics, underscoring the fact that cell-cell fusion and virus-cell fusion are different. The results indicate that mutations in three different regions of gB (domain I, the membrane proximal region, and the cytoplasmic tail domain) can counteract the slow entry phenotype of gB3A virus. Mapping these compensatory mutations to prefusion and postfusion structural models suggests sites of intramolecular functional interactions with the gB domain V arm that may contribute to the gB fusion function. Importance The nine human herpesviruses are ubiquitous and cause a range of disease in humans. Glycoprotein B (gB) is an essential viral fusion protein that is conserved in all herpesviruses. During host cell entry, gB mediates virus-cell membrane fusion by undergoing a conformational change. Structural models for the prefusion and postfusion form of gB exist, but the details of how the protein converts from one to the other are unclear. We previously introduced structure-based mutations into gB that inhibited virus entry and fusion. By passaging this entry-deficient virus over time, we selected second-site mutations that partially restore virus entry. The location of these mutations suggest regulatory sites that contribute to fusion and gB refolding during entry. gB is a target of neutralizing antibodies and defining how gB refolds during entry could provide a basis for the development of fusion inhibitors for future research or clinical use.

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