scholarly journals Junín virus infection impairs stress-granule formation in Vero cells treated with arsenite via inhibition of eIF2α phosphorylation

2011 ◽  
Vol 92 (12) ◽  
pp. 2889-2899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florencia N. Linero ◽  
María G. Thomas ◽  
Graciela L. Boccaccio ◽  
Luis A. Scolaro
Keyword(s):  
Stress Response ◽  
Matrix Protein ◽  
Acute Infection ◽  
Protein Translation ◽  
Vero Cells ◽  
Cellular Stress Response ◽  
Protein Z ◽  
Granule Formation ◽  
Eif2α Phosphorylation ◽  
Infected Cells

Stress granules (SGs) are ephemeral cytoplasmic aggregates containing stalled translation preinitiation complexes involved in mRNA storage and triage during the cellular stress response. SG formation is triggered by the phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eIF2 (eIF2α), which provokes a dramatic blockage of protein translation. Our results demonstrate that acute infection of Vero cells with the arenavirus Junín (JUNV), aetiological agent of Argentine haemorrhagic fever, does not induce the formation of SGs. Moreover, JUNV negatively modulates SG formation in infected cells stressed with arsenite, and this inhibition correlates with low levels of eIF2α phosphorylation. Transient expression of JUNV nucleoprotein (N) or the glycoprotein precursor (GPC), but not of the matrix protein (Z), inhibits SG formation in a similar manner, comparable to infectious virus. Expression of N and GPC also impaired eIF2α phosphorylation triggered by arsenite. A moderate inhibition of SG formation was also observed when DTT and thapsigargin were employed as stress inducers. In contrast, no inhibition was observed when infected cells were treated with hippuristanol, a translational inhibitor and inducer of SGs that bypasses the requirement for eIF2α phosphorylation. Finally, we analysed SG formation in persistently JUNV-infected cells, where N and GPC are virtually absent and truncated N products are expressed abundantly. We found that persistently infected cells show a quite normal response to arsenite, with SG formation comparable to that of uninfected cells. This suggests that the presence of GPC and/or N is crucial to control the stress response upon JUNV infection of Vero cells.

scholarly journals Reovirus Induces and Benefits from an Integrated Cellular Stress Response

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 2019-2033 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer A. Smith ◽  
Stephen C. Schmechel ◽  
Arvind Raghavan ◽  
Michelle Abelson ◽  
Cavan Reilly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Cellular Stress Response ◽  
Initiation Factor ◽  
Viral Protein Synthesis ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Eif2α Phosphorylation ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Reovirus Replication

ABSTRACT Following infection with most reovirus strains, viral protein synthesis is robust, even when cellular translation is inhibited. To gain further insight into pathways that regulate translation in reovirus-infected cells, we performed a comparative microarray analysis of cellular gene expression following infection with two strains of reovirus that inhibit host translation (clone 8 and clone 87) and one strain that does not (Dearing). Infection with clone 8 and clone 87 significantly increased the expression of cellular genes characteristic of stress responses, including the integrated stress response. Infection with these same strains decreased transcript and protein levels of P58IPK, the cellular inhibitor of the eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) kinases PKR and PERK. Since infection with host shutoff-inducing strains of reovirus impacted cellular pathways that control eIF2α phosphorylation and unphosphorylated eIF2α is required for translation initiation, we examined reovirus replication in a variety of cell lines with mutations that impact eIF2α phosphorylation. Our results revealed that reovirus replication is more efficient in the presence of eIF2α kinases and phosphorylatable eIF2α. When eIF2α is phosphorylated, it promotes the synthesis of ATF4, a transcription factor that controls cellular recovery from stress. We found that the presence of this transcription factor increased reovirus yields 10- to 100-fold. eIF2α phosphorylation also led to the formation of stress granules in reovirus-infected cells. Based on these results, we hypothesize that eIF2α phosphorylation facilitates reovirus replication in two ways—first, by inducing ATF4 synthesis, and second, by creating an environment that places abundant reovirus transcripts at a competitive advantage for limited translational components.

scholarly journals The Leader Protein of Theiler's Virus Prevents the Activation of PKR

2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabian Borghese ◽  
Frédéric Sorgeloos ◽  
Teresa Cesaro ◽  
Thomas Michiels
Keyword(s):  
Stress Granule ◽  
Translation Initiation Factor ◽  
Initiation Factor ◽  
Wild Type Virus ◽  
Granule Formation ◽  
Double Stranded Rna ◽  
Eif2α Phosphorylation ◽  
Leader Protein ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
L Proteins

ABSTRACT Leader (L) proteins encoded by cardioviruses are multifunctional proteins that contribute to innate immunity evasion. L proteins of Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV), Saffold virus (SAFV), and encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) were reported to inhibit stress granule assembly in infected cells. Here, we show that TMEV L can act at two levels in the stress granule formation pathway: on the one hand, it can inhibit sodium arsenite-induced stress granule assembly without preventing eIF2α phosphorylation and, thus, acts downstream of eIF2α; on the other hand, it can inhibit eucaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha kinase 2 (PKR) activation and the consequent PKR-mediated eIF2α phosphorylation. Interestingly, coimmunostaining experiments revealed that PKR colocalizes with viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in cells infected with L-mutant viruses but not in cells infected with the wild-type virus. Furthermore, PKR coprecipitated with dsRNA from cells infected with L-mutant viruses significantly more than from cells infected with the wild-type virus. These data strongly suggest that L blocks PKR activation by preventing the interaction between PKR and viral dsRNA. In infected cells, L also rendered PKR refractory to subsequent activation by poly(I·C). However, no interaction was observed between L and either dsRNA or PKR. Taken together, our results suggest that, unlike other viral proteins, L indirectly acts on PKR to negatively regulate its responsiveness to dsRNA. IMPORTANCE The leader (L) protein encoded by cardioviruses is a very short multifunctional protein that contributes to evasion of the host innate immune response. This protein notably prevents the formation of stress granules in infected cells. Using Theiler’s virus as a model, we show that L proteins can act at two levels in the stress response pathway leading to stress granule formation, the most striking one being the inhibition of eucaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha kinase 2 (PKR) activation. Interestingly, the leader protein appears to inhibit PKR via a novel mechanism by rendering this kinase unable to detect double-stranded RNA, its typical activator. Unlike other viral proteins, such as influenza virus NS1, the leader protein appears to interact with neither PKR nor double-stranded RNA, suggesting that it acts indirectly to trigger the inhibition of the kinase.

scholarly journals Nuphar lutea Extracts Exhibit Anti-Viral Activity against the Measles Virus

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 1657
Author(s):  
Hila Winer ◽  
Janet Ozer ◽  
Yonat Shemer ◽  
Irit Reichenstein ◽  
Brit Eilam-Frenkel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Measles Virus ◽  
Acute Infection ◽  
Vero Cells ◽  
Transcriptional Level ◽  
Virus Infectivity ◽  
Water Lily ◽  
African Green Monkey Kidney ◽  
Viral Rnas ◽  
Nuphar Lutea ◽  
Infected Cells

Different parts of Nuphar lutea L. (yellow water lily) have been used to treat several inflammatory and pathogen-related diseases. It has shown that Nuphar lutea extracts (NUP) are active against various pathogens including bacteria, fungi, and leishmanial parasites. In an effort to detect novel therapeutic agents against negative-stranded RNA (- RNA) viruses, we have tested the effect of a partially-purified alkaloid mixture of Nuphar lutea leaves on the measles virus (MV). The MV vaccine’s Edmonston strain was used to acutely or persistently infect cells. The levels of several MV proteins were detected by a Western blot and immunocytochemistry. Viral RNAs were quantitated by qRT-PCR. Virus infectivity was monitored by infecting African green monkey kidney VERO cells’ monolayers. We showed that NUP protected cells from acute infection. Decreases in the MV P-, N-, and V-proteins were observed in persistently infected cells and the amount of infective virus released was reduced as compared to untreated cells. By examining viral RNAs, we suggest that NUP acts at the post-transcriptional level. We conclude, as a proof of concept, that NUP has anti-viral therapeutic activity against the MV. Future studies will determine the mechanism of action and the effect of NUP on other related viruses.

scholarly journals Ebola Virus Does Not Induce Stress Granule Formation during Infection and Sequesters Stress Granule Proteins within Viral Inclusions

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (16) ◽  
pp. 7268-7284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily V. Nelson ◽  
Kristina M. Schmidt ◽  
Laure R. Deflubé ◽  
Sultan Doğanay ◽  
Logan Banadyga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Response ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Cellular Stress ◽  
Stress Granule ◽  
Cellular Stress Response ◽  
Initiation Factor ◽  
Ebov Infection ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Translational Arrest ◽  
Viral Inclusions

ABSTRACTA hallmark of Ebola virus (EBOV) infection is the formation of viral inclusions in the cytoplasm of infected cells. These viral inclusions contain the EBOV nucleocapsids and are sites of viral replication and nucleocapsid maturation. Although there is growing evidence that viral inclusions create a protected environment that fosters EBOV replication, little is known about their role in the host response to infection. The cellular stress response is an effective antiviral strategy that leads to stress granule (SG) formation and translational arrest mediated by the phosphorylation of a translation initiation factor, the α subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α). Here, we show that selected SG proteins are sequestered within EBOV inclusions, where they form distinct granules that colocalize with viral RNA. These inclusion-bound (IB) granules are functionally and structurally different from canonical SGs. Formation of IB granules does not indicate translational arrest in the infected cells. We further show that EBOV does not induce formation of canonical SGs or eIF2α phosphorylation at any time postinfection but is unable to fully inhibit SG formation induced by different exogenous stressors, including sodium arsenite, heat, and hippuristanol. Despite the sequestration of SG marker proteins into IB granules, canonical SGs are unable to form within inclusions, which we propose might be mediated by a novel function of VP35, which disrupts SG formation. This function is independent of VP35's RNA binding activity. Further studies aim to reveal the mechanism for SG protein sequestration and precise function within inclusions.IMPORTANCEAlthough progress has been made developing antiviral therapeutics and vaccines against the highly pathogenic Ebola virus (EBOV), the cellular mechanisms involved in EBOV infection are still largely unknown. To better understand these intracellular events, we investigated the cellular stress response, an antiviral pathway manipulated by many viruses. We show that EBOV does not induce formation of stress granules (SGs) in infected cells and is therefore unrestricted by their concomitant translational arrest. We identified SG proteins sequestered within viral inclusions, which did not impair protein translation. We further show that EBOV is unable to block SG formation triggered by exogenous stress early in infection. These findings provide insight into potential targets of therapeutic intervention. Additionally, we identified a novel function of the interferon antagonist VP35, which is able to disrupt SG formation.

scholarly journals The Integrated Stress Response and Phosphorylated Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 2α in Neurodegeneration

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Bond ◽  
Claudia Lopez-Lloreda ◽  
Patrick J Gannon ◽  
Cagla Akay-Espinoza ◽  
Kelly L Jordan-Sciutto
Keyword(s):  
Stress Response ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Protein Translation ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Translation Initiation Factor ◽  
Initiation Factor ◽  
Integrated Stress Response ◽  
Eukaryotic Initiation Factor ◽  
Pharmacological Agents ◽  
Eif2α Phosphorylation

Abstract The proposed molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative pathogenesis are varied, precluding the development of effective therapies for these increasingly prevalent disorders. One of the most consistent observations across neurodegenerative diseases is the phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α). eIF2α is a translation initiation factor, involved in cap-dependent protein translation, which when phosphorylated causes global translation attenuation. eIF2α phosphorylation is mediated by 4 kinases, which, together with their downstream signaling cascades, constitute the integrated stress response (ISR). While the ISR is activated by stresses commonly observed in neurodegeneration, such as oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and inflammation, it is a canonically adaptive signaling cascade. However, chronic activation of the ISR can contribute to neurodegenerative phenotypes such as neuronal death, memory impairments, and protein aggregation via apoptotic induction and other maladaptive outcomes downstream of phospho-eIF2α-mediated translation inhibition, including neuroinflammation and altered amyloidogenic processing, plausibly in a feed-forward manner. This review examines evidence that dysregulated eIF2a phosphorylation acts as a driver of neurodegeneration, including a survey of observations of ISR signaling in human disease, inspection of the overlap between ISR signaling and neurodegenerative phenomenon, and assessment of recent encouraging findings ameliorating neurodegeneration using developing pharmacological agents which target the ISR. In doing so, gaps in the field, including crosstalk of the ISR kinases and consideration of ISR signaling in nonneuronal central nervous system cell types, are highlighted.

scholarly journals Hypoxic Inhibition of Nonsense-Mediated RNA Decay Regulates Gene Expression and the Integrated Stress Response

2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (11) ◽  
pp. 3729-3741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence B. Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Cellular Response ◽  
Cellular Stress Response ◽  
Initiation Factor ◽  
Rna Decay ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Eif2α Phosphorylation ◽  
Cellular Mrnas ◽  
Nonsense Mediated Rna Decay

ABSTRACT Nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD) rapidly degrades both mutated mRNAs and nonmutated cellular mRNAs in what is thought to be a constitutive fashion. Here we demonstrate that NMD is inhibited in hypoxic cells and that this inhibition is dependent on phosphorylation of the α subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α). eIF2α phosphorylation is known to promote translational and transcriptional up-regulation of genes important for the cellular response to stress. We show that the mRNAs of several of these stress-induced genes are NMD targets and that the repression of NMD stabilizes these mRNAs, thus demonstrating that the inhibition of NMD augments the cellular stress response. Furthermore, hypoxia-induced formation of cytoplasmic stress granules is also dependent on eIF2α phosphorylation, and components of the NMD pathway are relocalized to these granules in hypoxic cells, providing a potential mechanism for the hypoxic inhibition of NMD. Our demonstration that NMD is inhibited in hypoxic cells reveals that the regulation of NMD can dynamically alter gene expression and also establishes a novel mechanism for hypoxic gene regulation.

scholarly journals RNA splicing alterations induce a cellular stress response associated with poor prognosis in AML

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Govardhan Anande ◽  
Nandan P. Deshpande ◽  
Sylvain Mareschal ◽  
Aarif M. N. Batcha ◽  
Henry R. Hampton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Splicing ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Rna Splicing ◽  
Protein Translation ◽  
Good Prognosis ◽  
Cellular Stress Response ◽  
Splicing Factor ◽  
Machine Learning Techniques ◽  
Molecular Feature ◽  
Alternative Splicing Events

RNA splicing is a fundamental biological process that generates protein diversity from a finite set of genes. Recurrent somatic mutations of splicing factor genes are relatively uncommon in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML, < 20%). We examined whether RNA splicing differences exist in AML even in the absence of splicing factor mutations. Analyzing RNA-seq data from two independent cohorts of AML patients, we identified recurrent differential alternative splicing between patients with poor and good prognosis. These alternative splicing events occurred even in patients without any discernible splicing factor mutations. The alternative splicing events recurrently occurred in genes involved in specific molecular functions, primarily related to protein translation. Developing informatics tools to predict the functional impact of alternative splicing on the translated protein, we discovered that ~45% of the splicing events directly affected highly conserved protein domains. Several splicing factors were themselves misspliced in patients, and the splicing of their target transcripts were also altered. By studying differential gene expression in the same patients, we identified that alternative splicing of protein translation genes in ELNAdv patients resulted in the induction of an integrated stress response and up- regulation of inflammation-related genes. Lastly, using machine learning techniques, we identified a set of four genes whose alternative splicing can refine the accuracy of existing risk prognosis schemes and validated it in a completely independent cohort. Our discoveries therefore identify aberrant alternative splicing as a molecular feature of adverse AML with clinical relevance.

scholarly journals Lysosomotropic agents including azithromycin, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine activate the integrated stress response

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ai-Ling Tian ◽  
Qi Wu ◽  
Peng Liu ◽  
Liwei Zhao ◽  
Isabelle Martins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Response ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Initiation Factor ◽  
Integrated Stress Response ◽  
Serine Residue ◽  
Eif2α Phosphorylation ◽  
Lysosomotropic Agents ◽  
Cultured Human Cells

AbstractThe integrated stress response manifests with the phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) on serine residue 51 and plays a major role in the adaptation of cells to endoplasmic reticulum stress in the initiation of autophagy and in the ignition of immune responses. Here, we report that lysosomotropic agents, including azithromycin, chloroquine, and hydroxychloroquine, can trigger eIF2α phosphorylation in vitro (in cultured human cells) and, as validated for hydroxychloroquine, in vivo (in mice). Cells bearing a non-phosphorylatable eIF2α mutant (S51A) failed to accumulate autophagic puncta in response to azithromycin, chloroquine, and hydroxychloroquine. Conversely, two inhibitors of eIF2α dephosphorylation, nelfinavir and salubrinal, enhanced the induction of such autophagic puncta. Altogether, these results point to the unexpected capacity of azithromycin, chloroquine, and hydroxychloroquine to elicit the integrated stress response.

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