scholarly journals Varicella-Zoster Virus Infection of Human Fibroblast Cells Activates the c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase Pathway

2006 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 977-990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi J. Zapata ◽  
Masako Nakatsugawa ◽  
Jennifer F. Moffat
Keyword(s):  
Varicella Zoster Virus ◽  
Competitive Inhibitor ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Varicella Zoster Virus Infection ◽  
Jnk Pathway ◽  
Varicella Zoster ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Biochemical Fractionation ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Kinase Pathway

ABSTRACT The transcription factors ATF-2 and c-Jun are important for transactivation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) genes. c-Jun is activated by the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway that responds to stress and cytokines. To study the effects of VZV on this pathway, confluent human foreskin fibroblasts were infected with cell-associated VZV for 1 to 4 days. Immunoblots showed that phosphorylated JNK and c-Jun levels increased in VZV-infected cells, and kinase assays determined that phospho-JNK was active. Phospho-JNK was detected after 24 h, and levels rose steadily over 4 days in parallel with accumulation of VZV antigen. The two main activators of JNK are MKK4 and MKK7, and levels of their active, phosphorylated forms also increased. The competitive inhibitor of JNK, SP600125, caused a dose-dependent reduction in VZV yield (50% effective concentration, ≅8 μM). Specificity was verified by immunoblotting; phospho-c-Jun was eliminated by 18 μM SP600125 in VZV-infected cells. Immunofluorescent confocal microscopy showed that phospho-c-Jun and most of phospho-JNK were in the nuclei of VZV-infected cells; some phospho-JNK was in the cytoplasm. MKK4, MKK7, JNK, and phospho-JNK were detected by immunoblotting in purified preparations of VZV virions, but c-Jun was absent. JNK was located in the virion tegument, as determined by biochemical fractionation and immunogold transmission electron microscopy. Overall, these results demonstrate the importance of the JNK pathway for VZV replication and advance the idea that JNK is a useful drug target against VZV.

scholarly journals Varicella-Zoster Virus Infection of Primary Human Spinal Astrocytes Produces Intracellular Amylin, Amyloid-β, and an Amyloidogenic Extracellular Environment

2019 ◽  
Vol 221 (7) ◽  
pp. 1088-1097 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew N Bubak ◽  
Christina N Como ◽  
Christina M Coughlan ◽  
Noah R Johnson ◽  
James E Hassell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Varicella Zoster Virus ◽  
Amyloid Fibrils ◽  
Amyloid Β ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Varicella Zoster Virus Infection ◽  
Amyloid Burden ◽  
Varicella Zoster ◽  
Amyloidogenic Proteins ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Extracellular Environment

Abstract Background Herpes zoster is linked to amyloid-associated diseases, including dementia, macular degeneration, and diabetes mellitus, in epidemiological studies. Thus, we examined whether varicella-zoster virus (VZV)-infected cells produce amyloid. Methods Production of intracellular amyloidogenic proteins (amylin, amyloid precursor protein [APP], and amyloid-β [Aβ]) and amyloid, as well as extracellular amylin, Aβ, and amyloid, was compared between mock- and VZV-infected quiescent primary human spinal astrocytes (qHA-sps). The ability of supernatant from infected cells to induce amylin or Aβ42 aggregation was quantitated. Finally, the amyloidogenic activity of viral peptides was examined. Results VZV-infected qHA-sps, but not mock-infected qHA-sps, contained intracellular amylin, APP, and/or Aβ, and amyloid. No differences in extracellular amylin, Aβ40, or Aβ42 were detected, yet only supernatant from VZV-infected cells induced amylin aggregation and, to a lesser extent, Aβ42 aggregation into amyloid fibrils. VZV glycoprotein B (gB) peptides assembled into fibrils and catalyzed amylin and Aβ42 aggregation. Conclusions VZV-infected qHA-sps produced intracellular amyloid and their extracellular environment promoted aggregation of cellular peptides into amyloid fibrils that may be due, in part, to VZV gB peptides. These findings suggest that together with host and other environmental factors, VZV infection may increase the toxic amyloid burden and contribute to amyloid-associated disease progression.

scholarly journals Selection and Characterization of Varicella-Zoster Virus Variants Resistant to (R)-9-[4-Hydroxy-2-(Hydroxymethy)Butyl]Guanine

2001 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 1629-1636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa I. Ng ◽  
Yan Shi ◽  
H. Janette Huffaker ◽  
Warren Kati ◽  
Yaya Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Varicella Zoster Virus ◽  
Dna Polymerases ◽  
Resistant Mutant ◽  
Competitive Inhibitor ◽  
Varicella Zoster ◽  
Antiviral Activities ◽  
Predominant Variant ◽  
Infected Cells

ABSTRACT (R)-9-[4-Hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethy)butyl]guanine (H2G) is a potent and selective inhibitor of herpesvirus replication. It is a nucleoside analog, and its triphosphate derivative (H2G-TP) is a competitive inhibitor of herpesvirus DNA polymerases. In this study, the antiviral activities of H2G and acyclovir (ACV) and the development of viral resistance to these agents were compared in varicella-zoster virus (VZV)-infected cells. In plaque reduction assays, the 50% effective concentration of H2G for VZV was 60- to 400-fold lower than that of ACV, depending on the virus strain and the cell line tested. The enhanced efficacy of H2G against VZV can be accounted for in part by the fact that the intaracellular H2G-TP level (>170 pmol/106 cells) is higher than the intracellular ACV-TP level (<1 pmol/106 cells). In addition, H2G-TP has extended half-lives of 3.9 and 8.6 h in VZV-infected MRC-5 and MeWo cells, respectively. To assess the emergence of H2G-resistant VZV in vitro, VZV was passaged in the presence of increasing concentrations of H2G. Earlier in the passage, when the concentration of H2G was relatively low, the predominant variant had the (A)76 deletion in the viral thymidine kinase (TK) gene. This mutant was identical to an ACV-resistant mutant generated in parallel experiments. However, higher concentrations of H2G appeared to favor a novel mutant, which had deletions of two consecutive nucleotides at positions 805 and 806 of the TK gene. All of these changes introduced frameshift mutations in the TK gene resulting in the expression of truncated polypeptides. H2G-resistant viruses were cross-resistant to ACV, and vice versa.

scholarly journals Varicella-zoster virus influences the activities of components and targets of the ERK signalling pathway

2006 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 749-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Rahaus ◽  
Nathalie Desloges ◽  
Manfred H. Wolff
Keyword(s):  
Varicella Zoster Virus ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Cellular Functions ◽  
Varicella Zoster ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Infection Inhibition ◽  
Ribosomal S6 Kinase ◽  
Factor C

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is ultimately dependent upon its host cell for replication. To ensure its reproduction, VZV reorganizes various cellular functions by taking advantage of pre-existing signalling pathways. Recently, it was demonstrated that the activation of stress-related mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways following infection led to increased phosphorylation of cellular transcription factors involved in VZV gene expression. Here, it was shown that members of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway are also influenced following VZV infection: c-Raf remained inactive in infected MeWo cells, whereas MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 were phosphorylated transiently, reaching their highest level of phosphorylation at between 10 and 12 h post-infection. Inhibition of this pathway resulted in a severe reduction in viral progeny and in an increased apoptotic response, indicating that the functionality of this cascade is essential for successful high-rate replication. In addition, the activities of Bad, a cytoplasmic target of ERK via ribosomal S6 kinase, and the nuclear-localized target c-Myc were analysed. Bad is a member of the Bcl-2 family and has a key function in regulating apoptosis. Pro-apoptotic functions of Bad are repressed by phosphorylation. A 10-fold increase in Bad phosphorylation at Ser-112 was detected following infection, which was suppressed after inhibition of ERK. The transcription factor c-Myc is involved in the regulation of cell growth and apoptosis. By performing immunoblots and quantitative RT-PCR, suppression of c-Myc expression was demonstrated at both the transcriptional and translational levels in VZV-infected cells. These results suggest that VZV optimizes the conditions for its replication in different ways: upregulation of proviral-acting systems and suppression of potentially antiviral-acting systems.

Regulation of spontaneous and induced resumption of meiosis in mouse oocytes by different intracellular pathways

Reproduction ◽  
2000 ◽  
pp. 377-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Leonardsen ◽  
A Wiersma ◽  
M Baltsen ◽  
AG Byskov ◽  
CY Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Signal Transduction ◽  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Protein Kinase A ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Meiotic Maturation ◽  
Mouse Oocytes ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Dependent Signal ◽  
Kinase Pathway ◽  
Kinase A

The mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent and the cAMP-protein kinase A-dependent signal transduction pathways were studied in cultured mouse oocytes during induced and spontaneous meiotic maturation. The role of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway was assessed using PD98059, which specifically inhibits mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 and 2 (that is, MEK1 and MEK2), which activates mitogen-activated protein kinase. The cAMP-dependent protein kinase was studied by treating oocytes with the protein kinase A inhibitor rp-cAMP. Inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway by PD98059 (25 micromol l(-1)) selectively inhibited the stimulatory effect on meiotic maturation by FSH and meiosis-activating sterol (that is, 4,4-dimethyl-5alpha-cholest-8,14, 24-triene-3beta-ol) in the presence of 4 mmol hypoxanthine l(-1), whereas spontaneous maturation in the absence of hypoxanthine was unaffected. This finding indicates that different signal transduction mechanisms are involved in induced and spontaneous maturation. The protein kinase A inhibitor rp-cAMP induced meiotic maturation in the presence of 4 mmol hypoxanthine l(-1), an effect that was additive to the maturation-promoting effect of FSH and meiosis-activating sterol, indicating that induced maturation also uses the cAMP-protein kinase A-dependent signal transduction pathway. In conclusion, induced and spontaneous maturation of mouse oocytes appear to use different signal transduction pathways.

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