scholarly journals Monoclonal Antibodies to Different Components of the Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) Pentamer gH/gL/pUL128L and Trimer gH/gL/gO as well as Antibodies Elicited during Primary HCMV Infection Prevent Epithelial Cell Syncytium Formation

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (14) ◽  
pp. 6216-6223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Gerna ◽  
Elena Percivalle ◽  
Laurent Perez ◽  
Antonio Lanzavecchia ◽  
Daniele Lilleri

ABSTRACTHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) may cause disseminated/end-organ disease in congenitally infected newborns and immunosuppressed transplant recipients. Two glycoprotein complexes, gH/gL/gO and gH/gL/pUL128/pUL130/pUL131 (gH/gL/pUL128L; referred to as the pentamer), are required for HCMV entry into fibroblasts and endothelial/epithelial cells, respectively, in the presence of the viral fusion protein gB. In addition, gH/gL/gO was recently reported to also be required for infection of endothelial/epithelial cells. Virus entry into human fibroblasts involves fusion of the virus envelope with the plasma membrane, whereas entry into endothelial/epithelial cells involves macropinocytosis or endocytosis and low-pH-dependent fusion with endosomes. A large set of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), directed to gH, gB, and multiple components of the pentamer, was developed. In addition, novel anti-gO human monoclonal antibodies were recently isolated. It is known that epithelial cell infection with a wild HCMV strain at a high multiplicity of infection produces a large number of syncytia. Incubation of heavily HCMV VR1814-infected ARPE-19 epithelial cells with neutralizing MAbs to one, two, or three components of the pUL128L portion of the pentamer blocked syncytium formation at an antibody concentration of 10 μg/ml, whereas only a partial inhibitory effect was displayed for MAbs to gO, gH, or gB at the same concentration. A blocking effect was also exhibited by convalescent-phase sera from primary HCMV infections. These findings indicate that the pentamer is required for syncytium formation in epithelial cells.IMPORTANCEHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) mostly infects epithelial and endothelial cellsin vivo. Recently, the pentamer protein complex (gH/gL/pUL128L) was identified as being required for infection of these cells, in association with the other protein complex, gH/gL/gO. In primary infections, HCMV migrates to endothelial cells and then to leukocytes, which disseminate the infection throughout the body. The virus then spreads to organs and tissues, mostly infecting either single cells or multinucleated epithelial giant cells (syncytia), depending on the viral load. Potent neutralizing human MAbs directed to distinct binding sites of the pUL128L portion of the pentamer were shown in the past to block virus dissemination. In the present study, MAbs to pUL128L were shown to block syncytium formation with a higher potency than that of MAbs to gO, gH, or gB, thus suggesting their role in limiting virus dissemination. This finding provides additional information useful for the development of anti-HCMV therapeutic antibodies and subunit vaccines.

2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (16) ◽  
pp. 10330-10338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dai Wang ◽  
Thomas Shenk

ABSTRACT Epithelial cells are one of the prominent cell types infected by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) within its host. However, many cultured epithelial cells, such as ARPE-19 retinal pigmented epithelial cells, are poorly infected by laboratory-adapted strains in cell culture, and little is known about the viral factors that determine HCMV epithelial cell tropism. In this report, we demonstrate that the UL131 open reading frame (ORF), and likely the entire UL131-128 locus, is required for efficient infection of epithelial cells. Repair of the mutated UL131 gene in the AD169 laboratory strain of HCMV restored its ability to infect both epithelial and endothelial cells while compromising its ability to replicate in fibroblasts. ARPE-19 epithelial cells support replication of the repaired AD169 virus as well as clinical isolates of HCMV. Productive infection of cultured epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts with the repaired AD169 virus leads to extensive membrane fusion and syncytium formation, suggesting that the virus may spread through cell-cell fusion.


Vaccines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerna ◽  
Kabanova ◽  
Lilleri

In the 1970s–1980s, a striking increase in the number of disseminated human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infections occurred in immunosuppressed patient populations. Autopsy findings documented the in vivo disseminated infection (besides fibroblasts) of epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. As a result, multiple diagnostic assays, such as quantification of HCMV antigenemia (pp65), viremia (infectious virus), and DNAemia (HCMV DNA) in patient blood, were developed. In vitro experiments showed that only low passage or endothelial cell-passaged clinical isolates, and not laboratory-adapted strains, could reproduce both HCMV leuko- and endothelial cell-tropism, which were found through genetic analysis to require the three viral genes UL128, UL130, and UL131 of the HCMV UL128 locus (UL128L). Products of this locus, together with gH/gL, were shown to form the gH/gL/pUL128L pentamer complex (PC) required for infection of epithelial cells/endothelial cells, whereas gH/gL and gO form the gH/gL/gO trimer complex (TC) required for infection of all cell types. In 2016, following previous work, a receptor for the TC that mediates entry into fibroblasts was identified as PDGFRα, while in 2018, a receptor for the PC that mediates entry into endothelial/epithelial cells was identified as neuropilin2 (Nrp2). Furthermore, the olfactory receptor family member OR14I1 was recently identified as a possible additional receptor for the PC in epithelial cells. Thus, current data support two models of viral entry: (i) in fibroblasts, following interaction of PDGFRα with TC, the latter activates gB to fuse the virus envelope with the cell membrane, whereas (ii) in epithelial cells/endothelial cells, interaction of Nrp2 (and OR14I1) with PC promotes endocytosis of virus particles, followed by gB activation by gH/gL/gO (or gH/gL) and final low-pH entry into the cell.


2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Lehmann ◽  
Jessica Julia Falk ◽  
Nicole Büscher ◽  
Inessa Penner ◽  
Christine Zimmermann ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe development of a vaccine against human cytomegalovirus infection (HCMV) is a high-priority medical goal. The viral pentameric protein complex consisting of glycoprotein H (gH)/gL/UL128-131A (PC) is considered to be an important vaccine component. Its relevance to the induction of a protective antibody response is, however, still a matter of debate. We addressed this issue by using subviral dense bodies (DBs) of HCMV. DBs are exceptionally immunogenic. Laboratory HCMV strain DBs harbor important neutralizing antibody targets, like the glycoproteins B, H, L, M, and N, but they are devoid of the PC. To be able to directly compare the impact of the PC on the levels of neutralizing antibody (NT-abs) responses, a PC-positive variant of the HCMV laboratory strain Towne was established by bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) mutagenesis (Towne-UL130rep). This strain synthesized PC-positive DBs upon infection of fibroblasts. These DBs were used in side-by-side immunizations with PC-negative Towne DBs. Mouse and rabbit sera were tested to address the impact of the PC on DB immunogenicity. The neutralizing antibody response to PC-positive DBs was superior to that of PC-negative DBs, as tested on fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and endothelial cells and for both animal species used. The experiments revealed the potential of the PC to enhance the antibody response against HCMV. Of particular interest was the finding that PC-positive DBs induced an antibody response that blocked the infection of fibroblasts by a PC-positive viral strain more efficiently than sera following immunizations with PC-negative particles.IMPORTANCEInfections with the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) may cause severe and even life-threatening disease manifestations in newborns and immunosuppressed individuals. Several strategies for the development of a vaccine against this virus are currently pursued. A critical question in this respect refers to the antigenic composition of a successful vaccine. Using a subviral particle vaccine candidate, we show here that one protein complex of HCMV, termed the pentameric complex (PC), enhances the neutralizing antibody response against viral infection of different cell types. We further show for the first time that this not only relates to the infection of epithelial or endothelial cells; the presence of the PC in the particles also enhanced the neutralizing antibody response against the infection of fibroblasts by HCMV. Together, these findings argue in favor of including the PC in strategies for HCMV vaccine development.


1964 ◽  
Vol 207 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agna Boass ◽  
T. Hastings Wilson

Evidence is presented which suggests that the vitamin B12-intrinsic factor (B12-IF) complex is absorbed into the intestinal epithelial cell. Following incubation of sacs of hamster ileum with B12-IF complex, the tissue was washed, the mucosa was homogenized and assayed for the complex. The soluble fraction from such a mucosal homogenate was found to possess significant amounts of the B12-IF complex. The exit of vitamin B12 from the basal surface of the epithelial cells was investigated by studying its appearance in the intestinal lymphatics. In a series of rats it was found that 3–9% of the absorbed B12 entered the lymphatic capillaries while the remaining fraction (91–97%) passed into the blood capillaries. Vitamin B12 present in lymph, although not dialyzable, was not bound to intrinsic factor. It is inferred from these studies that B12-IF complex enters the intestinal epithelial cells where it is converted into some other B12-protein complex. Following the exit of this B12-protein complex from the epithelial cell, it enters both lymphatic and blood capillaries, the latter being a quantitatively more important route.


1998 ◽  
Vol 275 (5) ◽  
pp. L1013-L1017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce D. Uhal ◽  
Claudia Gidea ◽  
Raed Bargout ◽  
Antonio Bifero ◽  
Olivia Ibarra-Sunga ◽  
...  

The angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril has been shown to inhibit fibrogenesis in the lung, but the mechanisms underlying this action are unclear. Apoptosis of lung epithelial cells is believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. For these reasons, we studied the effect of captopril on Fas-induced apoptosis in a human lung epithelial cell line. Monoclonal antibodies that activate the Fas receptor induced epithelial cell apoptosis as detected by chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation, DNA fragmentation, and increased activities of caspase-1 and -3. Apoptosis was not induced by isotype-matched nonimmune mouse immunoglobulins or nonactivating anti-Fas monoclonal antibodies. When applied simultaneously with anti-Fas antibodies, 50 ng/ml of captopril completely abrogated apoptotic indexes based on morphology, DNA fragmentation, and inducible caspase-1 activity and significantly decreased the inducible activity of caspase-3. Inhibition of apoptosis by captopril was concentration dependent, with an IC50 of 70 pg/ml. These data suggest that the inhibitory actions of captopril on pulmonary fibrosis may be related to prevention of lung epithelial cell apoptosis.


1979 ◽  
Vol 150 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
E L Parr

Islets of Langerhans were isolated from mouse pancreases and fixed in periodatelysine-paraformaldehyde. The fixed islets were then dissociated with trypsin and EDTA to yield cell suspensions that contained mainly four cell types; beta-cells, capillary endothelial cells, acinar cells, and pancreatic duct epithelial cells. The nonislet cells were probably associated wtih the surface of the isolated islets. The H-2 antigens of the dissociated pancreatic cells were labeled with an immunoferritin technique. Pancreatic duct epithelial cells showed specific ferritin labeling on their lateral cell membranes but not on apical microvillus membranes. Acinar cells were also labeled on lateral membranes, and the capillary endothelial cells were labeled on both the luminal and albuminal aspects of their surface membranes. In contrast, pancreatic beta-cells were unlabeled. The number of ferritin molecules per unit length of beta-cell membrane was essentially the same on cells from the antigenic strain and the congeneic control strain, and was about 200-fold less than on the labeled pancreatic duct epithelial cell lateral membranes. Pancreatic beta-cells are therefore one of six known epithelial cell types on which H-2 antigens can not be detected by immunoferritin labeling. The apparent absence of H-2 antigens from these cells suggests a study of the viability of beta-cells in allografts of dissociated islet cells, in which the beta-cell would not be in contact with antigenic cells. Such studies might lead to a new approach to the control of diabetes mellitus by transplantation.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadja Brait ◽  
Tanja Stögerer ◽  
Julia Kalser ◽  
Barbara Adler ◽  
Ines Kunz ◽  
...  

AbstractHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) envelope glycoprotein complexes, gH/gL/gO-trimer and gH/gL/UL128L-pentamer, are important for cell-free HCMV entry. While soluble Nrp2-Fc (sNrp2-Fc) interferes with epithelial/endothelial cell entry through UL128, soluble PDGFRα-Fc (sPDGFRα-Fc) interacts with gO thereby inhibiting infection of all cell types. Since gO is the most variable subunit we investigated the influence of gO polymorphism on the inhibitory capacities of sPDGFRα-Fc and sNRP2-Fc.Accordingly, gO genotype 1c (GT1c) sequence was fully or partially replaced by gO GT2b, GT3, GT5 sequences in TB40-BAC4-luc background. All mutants were tested for fibroblast and epithelial cell infectivity, for virions’ gO and gH content, and for infection inhibition by sPDGFRα-Fc and sNrp2-Fc.Full-length and partial gO GT swapping may strongly alter the virions’ gO and gH levels associated with enhanced epithelial cell infectivity. All gO GT mutants except recombinant gO GT1c/3 displayed a near-complete inhibition at 1.25 μg/ml sPDGFRα-Fc on epithelial cells (98% versus 91%) and all on fibroblasts (≥ 99%). While gO GT replacement did not influence sNrp2-Fc inhibition at 1.25 μg/ml on epithelial cells (96%-98%), it rendered mutants with low gO levels moderately accessible to fibroblasts inhibition (20%-40%). In contrast to the steep sPDGFRα-Fc inhibition curves (slope >1.0), sNrp2-Fc dose-response curves on epithelial cells displayed slopes of ~1.0 suggesting functional differences between these entry inhibitors.Our findings suggest that targeting of gO-trimer rather than UL128-pentamer might be a promising target to inhibit infectivity independent of the cell type, gO polymorphism, and gO/gH content. However, intragenic gO recombination may lead to moderate resistence to sPDGFRα-Fc inhibition.ImportanceHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is known for its broad cell tropism as reflected by the different organs and tissues affected by HCMV infection. Hence, inhibition of HCMV entry into distinct cell types could be considered as a promising therapeutic option to limit cell-free HCMV infection. Soluble forms of cellular entry receptor PDGFRα rather than those of entry receptor neuropilin-2 inhibit infection of multiple cell types. sPDGFRα specifically interacts with gO of the trimeric gH/gL/gO envelope glycoprotein complex. HCMV strains may differ with respect to the virions’ amount of trimer and the highly polymorphic gO sequence. In this study, we show that gO polymorphism rather than gO levels may affect the inhibitory capacity of sPDGFRα. The finding that gO intragenic recombination may lead to moderate evasion from sPDGFRα inhibition is of major value to the development of potential anti-HCMV therapeutic compounds based on sPDGFRα.


2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 710-722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent J. Ryckman ◽  
Michael A Jarvis ◽  
Derek D. Drummond ◽  
Jay A. Nelson ◽  
David C. Johnson

ABSTRACT Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication in epithelial and endothelial cells appears to be important in virus spread, disease, and persistence. It has been difficult to study infection of these cell types because HCMV laboratory strains (e.g., AD169 and Towne) have lost their ability to infect cultured epithelial and endothelial cells during extensive propagation in fibroblasts. Clinical strains of HCMV (e.g., TR and FIX) possess a cluster of genes (UL128 to UL150) that are largely mutated in laboratory strains, and recent studies have indicated that these genes facilitate replication in epithelial and endothelial cells. The mechanisms by which these genes promote infection of these two cell types are unclear. We derived an HCMV UL128-to-UL150 deletion mutant from strain TR, TRΔ4, and studied early events in HCMV infection of epithelial and endothelial cells, and the role of genes UL128 to UL150. Analysis of wild-type TR indicated that HCMV enters epithelial and endothelial cells by endocytosis followed by low-pH-dependent fusion, which is different from the pH-independent fusion with the plasma membrane observed with human fibroblasts. TRΔ4 displayed a number of defects in early infection processes. Adsorption and entry of TRΔ4 on epithelial cells were poor compared with those of TR, but these defects could be overcome with higher doses of virus and the use of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to promote fusion between virion and cellular membranes. High multiplicity and PEG treatment did not promote infection of endothelial cells by TRΔ4, yet virus particles were internalized. Together, these data indicate that genes UL128 to UL150 are required for HCMV adsorption and penetration of epithelial cells and to promote some early stage of virus replication, subsequent to virus entry, in endothelial cells.


1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (5) ◽  
pp. L707-L718 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. W. Barton ◽  
S. E. Wilcoxen ◽  
P. J. Christensen ◽  
R. Paine

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 ICAM-1) is a transmembrane adhesion protein that is expressed constitutively on the apical surface of type I cells in vivo and on type II cells in vitro as they spread in culture, assuming type I cell-like characteristics. To investigate the possible interaction of ICAM-1 with the alveolar epithelial cell cytoskeleton, rat type II cells in primary culture were extracted with nonionic detergent, and residual ICAM-1 associated with the cytoskeletal remnants was determined using immunofluorescence microscopy, immunoprecipitation, and cell-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A large fraction of alveolar epithelial cell ICAM-1 remained associated with the cytoskeleton after detergent extraction, whereas two other transmembrane molecules, transferrin receptor and class II major histocompatibility complex, were completely removed. ICAM-1 was redistributed on the cell surface after the disruption of actin filaments with cytochalasin B, suggesting interaction with the actin cytoskeleton. In contrast, ICAM-1 was completely detergent soluble in rat pulmonary artery endothelial cells, human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and rat alveolar macrophages. The association of ICAM-1 with the alveolar epithelial cell cytoskeleton was not altered after stimulation with inflammatory cytokines. However, detergent resistant ICAM-1 was significantly increased after crosslinking of ICAM-1 on the cell surface, suggesting that this cytoskeletal association may be modulated by interactions of alveolar epithelial cells with inflammatory cells. The association of ICAM-1 with the cytoskeleton in alveolar epithelial cells may provide a fixed intermediary between mobile inflammatory cells and the alveolar surface.


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