Acanthamoeba induces cell-cycle arrest in host cells

ABSTRACT Recent studies have reported that host microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate infections by several types of viruses via various mechanisms and that inhibition of the miRNA processing factors enhances or prevents viral infection. However, it has not been clarified whether these effects of miRNAs extend to adenovirus (Ad) infection. Here we show that miR-27a and -b efficiently inhibit infection with an Ad via the downregulation of SNAP25 and TXN2, which are members of the SNARE proteins and the thioredoxin family, respectively. Approximately 80% reductions in Ad genomic copy number were found in cells transfected with miR-27a/b mimics, whereas there were approximately 2.5- to 5-fold larger copy numbers of the Ad genome following transfection with miR-27a/b inhibitors. Microarray gene expression analysis and in silico analysis demonstrated that SNAP25 and TXN2 are target genes of miR-27a/b. A reporter assay using plasmids containing the 3′ untranslated regions of the SNAP25 and TXN2 genes showed that miR-27a/b directly suppressed SNAP25 and TXN2 expression through posttranscriptional gene silencing. Knockdown of SNAP25 led to a significant inhibition of Ad entry into cells. Knockdown of TXN2 induced cell cycle arrest at G1 phase, leading to a reduction in Ad replication. In addition, overexpression of Ad-encoded small noncoding RNAs (VA-RNAs) restored the miR-27a/b-mediated reduction in infection level with a VA-RNA-lacking Ad mutant due to the VA-RNA-mediated inhibition of miR-27a/b expression. These results indicate that miR-27a and -b suppress SNAP25 and TXN2 expression via posttranscriptional gene silencing, leading to efficient suppression of Ad infection. IMPORTANCE Adenovirus (Ad) is widely used as a platform for replication-incompetent Ad vectors (Adv) and replication-competent oncolytic Ad (OAd) in gene therapy and virotherapy. Regulation of Ad infection is highly important for efficient gene therapies using both Adv and OAd. In this study, we demonstrate that miR-27a and -b, which are widely expressed in host cells, suppress SNAP25 and TXN2 expression through posttranscriptional gene silencing. Suppression of SNAP25 and TXN2 expression leads to inhibition of Ad entry into cells and to cell cycle arrest, respectively, leading to efficient suppression of Ad infection. Our findings provide important clues to the improvement of gene therapies using both Adv and OAd.

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Eimeria bovis infections induce G1 cell cycle arrest and a senescence-like phenotype in endothelial host cells

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182020002097 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Zahady D. Velásquez ◽

Sara López-Osorio ◽

Daniel Waiger ◽

Carolina Manosalva ◽

Learta Pervizaj-Oruqaj ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Cycle ◽

Endothelial Cells ◽

Cell Cycle Arrest ◽

Host Cell ◽

Cyclin B1 ◽

Host Cells ◽

Phenotypic Change ◽

Cyclin E1 ◽

Cycle Arrest ◽

Eimeria Bovis

Abstract Apicomplexan parasites are well-known to modulate their host cells at diverse functional levels. As such, apicomplexan-induced alteration of host cellular cell cycle was described and appeared dependent on both, parasite species and host cell type. As a striking evidence of species-specific reactions, we here show that Eimeria bovis drives primary bovine umbilical vein endothelial cells (BUVECs) into a senescence-like phenotype during merogony I. In line with senescence characteristics, E. bovis induces a phenotypic change in host cell nuclei being characterized by nucleolar fusion and heterochromatin-enriched peripheries. By fibrillarin staining we confirm nucleoli sizes to be increased and their number per nucleus to be reduced in E. bovis-infected BUVECs. Additionally, nuclei of E. bovis-infected BUVECs showed enhanced signals for HH3K9me2 as heterochromatin marker thereby indicating an infection-induced change in heterochromatin transition. Furthermore, E. bovis-infected BUVECs show an enhanced β-galactosidase activity, which is a well-known marker of senescence. Referring to cell cycle progression, protein abundance profiles in E. bovis-infected endothelial cells revealed an up-regulation of cyclin E1 thereby indicating a cell cycle arrest at G1/S transition, signifying a senescence key feature. Similarly, abundance of G2 phase-specific cyclin B1 was found to be downregulated at the late phase of macromeront formation. Overall, these data indicate that the slow proliferative intracellular parasite E. bovis drives its host endothelial cells in a senescence-like status. So far, it remains to be elucidated whether this phenomenon indeed reflects an intentionally induced mechanism to profit from host cell-derived energy and metabolites present in a non-dividing cellular status.

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Cholesterol Depletion Reduces Entry of Campylobacter jejuni Cytolethal Distending Toxin and Attenuates Intoxication of Host Cells

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.05175-11 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 79 (9) ◽

pp. 3563-3575 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Chia-Der Lin ◽

Cheng-Kuo Lai ◽

Yu-Hsin Lin ◽

Jer-Tsong Hsieh ◽

Yu-Ting Sing ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Cycle ◽

Cell Cycle Arrest ◽

Lipid Rafts ◽

Campylobacter Jejuni ◽

Host Cells ◽

Membrane Cholesterol ◽

Cholesterol Depletion ◽

Cytolethal Distending Toxin ◽

Content Type ◽

Cycle Arrest

ABSTRACTCampylobacter jejuniis a common cause of pediatric diarrhea worldwide. Cytolethal distending toxin, produced byCampylobacter jejuni, is a putative virulence factor that induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in eukaryotic cells. Cellular cholesterol, a major component of lipid rafts, has a pivotal role in regulating signaling transduction and protein trafficking as well as pathogen internalization. In this study, we demonstrated that cell intoxication byCampylobacter jejunicytolethal distending toxin is through the association of cytolethal distending toxin subunits and membrane cholesterol-rich microdomains. Cytolethal distending toxin subunits cofractionated with detergent-resistant membranes, while the distribution reduced upon the depletion of cholesterol, suggesting that cytolethal distending toxin subunits are associated with lipid rafts. The disruption of cholesterol using methyl-β-cyclodextrin not only reduced the binding activity of cytolethal distending toxin subunits on the cell membrane but also impaired their delivery and attenuated toxin-induced cell cycle arrest. Accordingly, cell intoxication by cytolethal distending toxin was restored by cholesterol replenishment. These findings suggest that membrane cholesterol plays a critical role in theCampylobacter jejunicytolethal distending toxin-induced pathogenesis of host cells.

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Identification of the Secretion and Translocation Domain of the Enteropathogenic and Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Effector Cif, Using TEM-1 β-Lactamase as a New Fluorescence-Based Reporter

Journal of Bacteriology ◽

10.1128/jb.186.16.5486-5495.2004 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 186 (16) ◽

pp. 5486-5495 ◽

Cited By ~ 221

Author(s):

Xavier Charpentier ◽

Eric Oswald

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Cell Cycle ◽

Cell Cycle Arrest ◽

Host Cell ◽

Effector Proteins ◽

Host Cells ◽

Reporter System ◽

Type Iii ◽

Cycle Arrest ◽

Lambdoid Prophage

ABSTRACT Enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EPEC and EHEC) strains are human and animal pathogens that inject effector proteins into host cells via a type III secretion system (TTSS). Cif is an effector protein which induces host cell cycle arrest and reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. Cif is encoded by a lambdoid prophage present in most of the EPEC and EHEC strains. In this study, we analyzed the domain that targets Cif to the TTSS by using a new reporter system based on a translational fusion of the effector proteins with mature TEM-1 β-lactamase. Translocation was detected directly in living host cells by using the fluorescent β-lactamase substrate CCF2/AM. We show that the first 16 amino acids (aa) of Cif were necessary and sufficient to mediate translocation into the host cells. Similarly, the first 20 aa of the effector proteins Map, EspF, and Tir, which are encoded in the same region as the TTSS, mediated secretion and translocation in a type III-dependent but chaperone-independent manner. A truncated form of Cif lacking its first 20 aa was no longer secreted and translocated, but fusion with the first 20 aa of Tir, Map, or EspF restored both secretion and translocation. In addition, the chimeric proteins were fully able to trigger host cell cycle arrest and stress fiber formation. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that Cif is composed of a C-terminal effector domain and an exchangeable N-terminal translocation signal and that the TEM-1 reporter system is a convenient tool for the study of the translocation of toxins or effector proteins into host cells.

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