scholarly journals Glycoprotein 5 Is Cleaved by Cathepsin E during Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Membrane Fusion

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Hou ◽  
Rui Li ◽  
Songlin Qiao ◽  
Xin-xin Chen ◽  
Guangxu Xing ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a serious viral disease affecting the global swine industry. Its causative agent, PRRS virus (PRRSV), is an enveloped virus, and therefore membrane fusion between its envelope and host cell target membrane is critical for viral infection. Though much research has focused on PRRSV infection, the detailed mechanisms involved in its membrane fusion remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we performed confocal microscopy in combination with a constitutively active (CA) or dominant negative (DN) mutant, specific inhibitors, and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), as well as multiple other approaches, to explore PRRSV membrane fusion. We first observed that PRRSV membrane fusion occurred in Rab11-recycling endosomes during early infection using labeled virions and subcellular markers. We further demonstrated that low pH and cathepsin E in Rab11-recycling endosomes are critical for PRRSV membrane fusion. Moreover, PRRSV glycoprotein 5 (GP5) is identified as being cleaved by cathepsin E during this process. Taken together, our findings provide in-depth information regarding PRRSV pathogenesis, which support a novel basis for the development of antiviral drugs and vaccines. IMPORTANCE PRRS, caused by PRRSV, is an economically critical factor in pig farming worldwide. As PRRSV is a lipid membrane-wrapped virus, merging of the PRRSV envelope with the host cell membrane is indispensable for viral infection. However, there is a lack of knowledge on its membrane fusion. Here, we first explored when and where PRRSV membrane fusion occurs. Furthermore, we determined which host cell factors were involved in the process. Importantly, PRRSV GP5 is shown to be cleaved by cathepsin E during membrane fusion. Our work not only provides information on PRRSV membrane fusion for the first time but also deepens our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of PRRSV infection, which provides a foundation for future applications in the prevention and control of PRRS.

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1597
Author(s):  
Olga V. Iarovaia ◽  
Elena S. Ioudinkova ◽  
Artem K. Velichko ◽  
Sergey V. Razin

Due to their exceptional simplicity of organization, viruses rely on the resources, molecular mechanisms, macromolecular complexes, regulatory pathways, and functional compartments of the host cell for an effective infection process. The nucleolus plays an important role in the process of interaction between the virus and the infected cell. The interactions of viral proteins and nucleic acids with the nucleolus during the infection process are universal phenomena and have been described for almost all taxonomic groups. During infection, proteins of the nucleolus in association with viral components can be directly used for the processes of replication and transcription of viral nucleic acids and the assembly and transport of viral particles. In the course of a viral infection, the usurpation of the nucleolus functions occurs and the usurpation is accompanied by profound changes in ribosome biogenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated that the nucleolus is a multifunctional and dynamic compartment. In addition to the biogenesis of ribosomes, it is involved in regulating the cell cycle and apoptosis, responding to cellular stress, repairing DNA, and transcribing RNA polymerase II-dependent genes. A viral infection can be accompanied by targeted transport of viral proteins to the nucleolus, massive release of resident proteins of the nucleolus into the nucleoplasm and cytoplasm, the movement of non-nucleolar proteins into the nucleolar compartment, and the temporary localization of viral nucleic acids in the nucleolus. The interaction of viral and nucleolar proteins interferes with canonical and non-canonical functions of the nucleolus and results in a change in the physiology of the host cell: cell cycle arrest, intensification or arrest of ribosome biogenesis, induction or inhibition of apoptosis, and the modification of signaling cascades involved in the stress response. The nucleolus is, therefore, an important target during viral infection. In this review, we discuss the functional impact of viral proteins and nucleic acid interaction with the nucleolus during infection.


2015 ◽  
Vol 209 (6) ◽  
pp. 879-894 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi Cao ◽  
Xi Zoë Zhong ◽  
Yuanjie Zou ◽  
Ruth Murrell-Lagnado ◽  
Michael X. Zhu ◽  
...  

Intra-endolysosomal Ca2+ release is required for endolysosomal membrane fusion with intracellular organelles. However, the molecular mechanisms for intra-endolysosomal Ca2+ release and the downstream Ca2+ targets involved in the fusion remain elusive. Previously, we demonstrated that endolysosomal P2X4 forms channels activated by luminal adenosine triphosphate in a pH-dependent manner. In this paper, we show that overexpression of P2X4, as well as increasing endolysosomal P2X4 activity by alkalinization of endolysosome lumen, promoted vacuole enlargement in cells and endolysosome fusion in a cell-free assay. These effects were prevented by inhibiting P2X4, expressing a dominant-negative P2X4 mutant, and disrupting the P2X4 gene. We further show that P2X4 and calmodulin (CaM) form a complex at endolysosomal membrane where P2X4 activation recruits CaM to promote fusion and vacuolation in a Ca2+-dependent fashion. Moreover, P2X4 activation-triggered fusion and vacuolation were suppressed by inhibiting CaM. Our data thus suggest a new molecular mechanism for endolysosomal membrane fusion involving P2X4-mediated endolysosomal Ca2+ release and subsequent CaM activation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramarao Malla ◽  
Mohammad Amjad Kamal

: Cervical cancer (CC) is the fourth leading cancer in women in the age group 15-44 globally. Experimental as well as epidemiological studies identified that type16 and 18 HPV cause 70% of precancerous cervical lesions as well as cervical cancer worldwide by bringing about genetic as well as epigenetic changes in the host genome. The insertion of the HPV genome triggers various defense mechanisms including the silencing of tumor suppressor genes as well as activation of oncogenes associated with cancer metastatic pathway. E6 and E7 are small oncoproteins consisting of 150 and 100 amino acids respectively. These oncoproteins affect the regulation of the host cell cycle by interfering with p53 and pRb. Further these oncoproteins adversely affect the normal functions of the host cell by binding to their signaling proteins. Recent studies demonstrated that E6 and E7 oncoproteins are potential targets for CC. Therefore, this review discusses the role of E6 and E7 oncoproteins in metastasis and drug resistance as well as their regulation, early oncogene mediated signaling pathways. This review also uncovers the recent updates on molecular mechanisms of E6 and E7 mediated phytotherapy, gene therapy, immune therapy, and vaccine strategies as well as diagnosis through precision testing. Therefore, understanding the potential role of E6/E7 in metastasis and drug resistance along with targeted treatment, vaccine, and precision diagnostic strategies could be useful for the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer.


Author(s):  
Daniela Lötsch ◽  
Dominik Kirchhofer ◽  
Bernhard Englinger ◽  
Li Jiang ◽  
Konstantin Okonechnikov ◽  
...  

AbstractEpendymomas (EPN) are central nervous system tumors comprising both aggressive and more benign molecular subtypes. However, therapy of the high-risk subtypes posterior fossa group A (PF-A) and supratentorial RELA-fusion positive (ST-RELA) is limited to gross total resection and radiotherapy, as effective systemic treatment concepts are still lacking. We have recently described fibroblast growth factor receptors 1 and 3 (FGFR1/FGFR3) as oncogenic drivers of EPN. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms and their potential as therapeutic targets have not yet been investigated in detail. Making use of transcriptomic data across 467 EPN tissues, we found that FGFR1 and FGFR3 were both widely expressed across all molecular groups. FGFR3 mRNA levels were enriched in ST-RELA showing the highest expression among EPN as well as other brain tumors. We further identified high expression levels of fibroblast growth factor 1 and 2 (FGF1, FGF2) across all EPN subtypes while FGF9 was elevated in ST-EPN. Interrogation of our EPN single-cell RNA-sequencing data revealed that FGFR3 was further enriched in cycling and progenitor-like cell populations. Corroboratively, we found FGFR3 to be predominantly expressed in radial glia cells in both mouse embryonal and human brain datasets. Moreover, we detected alternative splicing of the FGFR1/3-IIIc variant, which is known to enhance ligand affinity and FGFR signaling. Dominant-negative interruption of FGFR1/3 activation in PF-A and ST-RELA cell models demonstrated inhibition of key oncogenic pathways leading to reduced cell growth and stem cell characteristics. To explore the feasibility of therapeutically targeting FGFR, we tested a panel of FGFR inhibitors in 12 patient-derived EPN cell models revealing sensitivity in the low-micromolar to nano-molar range. Finally, we gain the first clinical evidence for the activity of the FGFR inhibitor nintedanib in the treatment of a patient with recurrent ST-RELA. Together, these preclinical and clinical data suggest FGFR inhibition as a novel and feasible approach to combat aggressive EPN.


Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 547
Author(s):  
Veronika Bernhauerová ◽  
Veronica V. Rezelj ◽  
Marco Vignuzzi

Mathematical models of in vitro viral kinetics help us understand and quantify the main determinants underlying the virus–host cell interactions. We aimed to provide a numerical characterization of the Zika virus (ZIKV) in vitro infection kinetics, an arthropod-borne emerging virus that has gained public recognition due to its association with microcephaly in newborns. The mathematical model of in vitro viral infection typically assumes that degradation of extracellular infectious virus proceeds in an exponential manner, that is, each viral particle has the same probability of losing infectivity at any given time. We incubated ZIKV stock in the cell culture media and sampled with high frequency for quantification over the course of 96 h. The data showed a delay in the virus degradation in the first 24 h followed by a decline, which could not be captured by the model with exponentially distributed decay time of infectious virus. Thus, we proposed a model, in which inactivation of infectious ZIKV is gamma distributed and fit the model to the temporal measurements of infectious virus remaining in the media. The model was able to reproduce the data well and yielded the decay time of infectious ZIKV to be 40 h. We studied the in vitro ZIKV infection kinetics by conducting cell infection at two distinct multiplicity of infection and measuring viral loads over time. We fit the mathematical model of in vitro viral infection with gamma distributed degradation time of infectious virus to the viral growth data and identified the timespans and rates involved within the ZIKV-host cell interplay. Our mathematical analysis combined with the data provides a well-described example of non-exponential viral decay dynamics and presents numerical characterization of in vitro infection with ZIKV.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 1271-1277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamilla M.E. Laidlaw ◽  
Rachel Livingstone ◽  
Mohammed Al-Tobi ◽  
Nia J. Bryant ◽  
Gwyn W. Gould

Trafficking within eukaryotic cells is a complex and highly regulated process; events such as recycling of plasma membrane receptors, formation of multivesicular bodies, regulated release of hormones and delivery of proteins to membranes all require directionality and specificity. The underpinning processes, including cargo selection, membrane fusion, trafficking flow and timing, are controlled by a variety of molecular mechanisms and engage multiple families of lipids and proteins. Here, we will focus on control of trafficking processes via the action of the SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) family of proteins, in particular their regulation by phosphorylation. We will describe how these proteins are controlled in a range of regulated trafficking events, with particular emphasis on the insulin-stimulated delivery of glucose transporters to the surface of adipose and muscle cells. Here, we focus on a few examples of SNARE phosphorylation which exemplify distinct ways in which SNARE machinery phosphorylation may regulate membrane fusion.


2007 ◽  
Vol 195 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Yang ◽  
Chunming Guo ◽  
Ping Zhu ◽  
Wenjiao Li ◽  
Leslie Myatt ◽  
...  

The amount of cortisol available to its receptors is increased by the pre-receptor enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) which converts cortisone to cortisol. We examined the molecular mechanisms of the feedback effect of cortisol on 11β-HSD1 mRNA expression in human amnion fibroblasts. Our data showed that cortisol-induced 11β-HSD1 mRNA expression dose dependently in amnion fibroblasts, which could be completely blocked both by the mRNA transcription inhibitor 5,6-dichlorobenzimidazole riboside and by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonist RU486, and partially blocked by global inhibition of CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBPs) with transfection of C/EBP-specific dominant-negative expression CMV500 plasmid (AC/EBP) into the cells. Likewise, the induction of the promoter activity by cortisol could also be completely blocked by RU486 and partially by AC/EBP transfection. Progressive 5′ deletion of the 11β-HSD1promoter located the region responsible for cortisol’s induction within −204 bp upstream to the transcription start site. Specific nucleotide mutations of the putative glucocorticoid responsive element or CCAAT in this promoter region attenuated the induction by cortisol. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that GR and C/EBPα but not C/EBPβ could bind this promoter region upon cortisol stimulation of amnion fibroblasts. In conclusion, we demonstrated that GR and C/EBPα were involved in cortisol-induced 11β-HSD1 mRNA expression via binding to 11β-HSD1 promoter in amnion fibroblasts, which may cast a feed-forward production of cortisol in the fetal membranes at the end of gestation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document