The US3 kinase of Herpes Simplex virus phosphorylates the RNA sensor RIG-I to suppress innate immunity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michiel van Gent ◽  
Jessica J. Chiang ◽  
Santoshi Muppala ◽  
Cindy Chiang ◽  
Walid Azab ◽  
...  

Recent studies demonstrated that the signaling activity of the cytosolic pathogen sensor retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I) is modulated by a variety of post-translational modifications (PTMs) to fine-tune the antiviral type I interferon (IFN) response. Whereas K63-linked ubiquitination of the RIG-I caspase activation and recruitment domains (CARDs) catalyzed by TRIM25 or other E3 ligases activates RIG-I, phosphorylation of RIG-I at S8 and T170 represses RIG-I signal transduction by preventing the TRIM25-RIG-I interaction and subsequent RIG-I ubiquitination. While strategies to suppress RIG-I signaling by interfering with its K63-polyubiquitin-dependent activation have been identified for several viruses, evasion mechanisms that directly promote RIG-I phosphorylation to escape antiviral immunity are unknown. Here, we show that the serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) kinase US3 of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) binds to RIG-I and phosphorylates RIG-I specifically at S8. US3-mediated phosphorylation suppressed TRIM25-mediated RIG-I ubiquitination, RIG-I-MAVS binding, and type I IFN induction. We constructed a mutant HSV-1 encoding a catalytically-inactive US3 protein (K220A) and found that, in contrast to the parental virus, the US3 mutant HSV-1 is unable to phosphorylate RIG-I at S8 and elicited higher levels of type I IFNs, IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs), and proinflammatory cytokines in a RIG-I-dependent manner. Finally, we show that this RIG-I evasion mechanism is conserved among the alphaherpesvirus US3 kinase family. Collectively, our study reveals a novel immune evasion mechanism of herpesviruses in which their US3 kinases phosphorylate the sensor RIG-I to keep it in the signaling-repressed state. IMPORTANCE Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) establishes life-long latency in the majority of the human population worldwide. HSV-1 occasionally reactivates to produce infectious virus and to facilitate dissemination. While often remaining subclinical, both primary infection and reactivation occasionally cause debilitating eye diseases, which can lead to blindness, as well as life-threatening encephalitis and newborn infections. To identify new therapeutic targets for HSV-1-induced diseases, it is important to understand the HSV-1-host interactions that may influence infection outcome and disease. Our work uncovered direct phosphorylation of the pathogen sensor RIG-I by alphaherpesvirus-encoded kinases as a novel viral immune escape strategy and also underscores the importance of RNA sensors in surveilling DNA virus infection.

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Shahnazaryan ◽  
Rana Khalil ◽  
Claire Wynne ◽  
Caroline A. Jefferies ◽  
Joan Ní Gabhann-Dromgoole ◽  
...  

AbstractHerpes simplex keratitis (HSK), caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection, is the commonest cause of infectious blindness in the developed world. Following infection the virus is initially suspended in the tear film, where it encounters a multi-pronged immune response comprising enzymes, complement, immunoglobulins and crucially, a range of anti-viral and pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, given that HSV-1 can overcome innate immune responses to establish lifelong latency throughout a susceptible individual’s lifetime, there is significant interest in understanding the mechanisms employed by HSV-1 to downregulate the anti-viral type I interferon (IFN) mediated immune responses. This study aimed to investigate the interactions between infected cell protein (ICP)0 and key elements of the IFN pathway to identify possible novel targets that contribute to viral immune evasion. Reporter gene assays demonstrated the ability of ICP0 to inhibit type I IFN activity downstream of pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) which are known to be involved in host antiviral defences. Further experiments identified interferon regulatory factor (IRF)7, a driver of type I IFN, as a potential target for ICP0. These findings increase our understanding of the pathogenesis of HSK and suggest IRF7 as a potential therapeutic target.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Longzhen He ◽  
Baocheng Wang ◽  
Yuanyuan Li ◽  
Leqing Zhu ◽  
Peiling Li ◽  
...  

The innate immune response is the first line defense against viral infections. Novel genes involved in this system are continuing to emerge. SLC15A3, a proton-coupled histidine and di-tripeptide transporter that was previously found in lysosomes, has been reported to inhibit chikungunya viral replication in host cells. In this study, we found that SLC15A3 was significantly induced by DNA virus herpes simplex virus-1(HSV-1) in monocytes from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Aside from monocytes, it can also be induced by HSV-1 in 293T, HeLa cells, and HaCaT cells. Overexpression of SLC15A3 in 293T cells inhibits HSV-1 replication and enhances type I and type III interferon (IFN) responses, while silencing SLC15A3 leads to enhanced HSV-1 replication with reduced IFN production. Moreover, we found that SLC15A3 interacted with MAVS and STING and potentiated MAVS- and STING-mediated IFN production. These results demonstrate that SLC15A3 participates in anti-HSV-1 innate immune responses by regulating MAVS- and STING-mediated signaling pathways.


2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (19) ◽  
pp. 8661-8672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maitreyi Shivkumar ◽  
Clara Lawler ◽  
Ricardo Milho ◽  
Philip G. Stevenson

ABSTRACTHerpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) enters mice via olfactory epithelial cells and then colonizes the trigeminal ganglia (TG). Most TG nerve endings are subepithelial, so this colonization implies subepithelial viral spread, where myeloid cells provide an important line of defense. The outcome of infection of myeloid cells by HSV-1in vitrodepends on their differentiation state; the outcomein vivois unknown. Epithelial HSV-1 commonly infected myeloid cells, and Cre-Lox virus marking showed nose and lung infections passing through LysM-positive (LysM+) and CD11c+cells. In contrast, subcapsular sinus macrophages (SSMs) exposed to lymph-borne HSV-1 were permissive only when type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling was blocked; normally, their infection was suppressed. Thus, the outcome of myeloid cell infection helped to determine the HSV-1 distribution: subepithelial myeloid cells provided a route of spread from the olfactory epithelium to TG neurons, while SSMs blocked systemic spread.IMPORTANCEHerpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infects most people and can cause severe disease. This reflects its persistence in nerve cells that connect to the mouth, nose, eye, and face. Established infection seems impossible to clear. Therefore, we must understand how it starts. This is difficult in humans, but mice show HSV-1 entry via the nose and then spread to its preferred nerve cells. We show that this spread proceeds in part via myeloid cells, which normally function in host defense. Myeloid infection was productive in some settings but was efficiently suppressed by interferon in others. Therefore, interferon acting on myeloid cells can stop HSV-1 spread, and enhancing this defense offers a way to improve infection control.


2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (23) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxime Chapon ◽  
Kislay Parvatiyar ◽  
Saba Roghiyh Aliyari ◽  
Jeffrey S. Zhao ◽  
Genhong Cheng

ABSTRACT In spite of several decades of research focused on understanding the biology of human herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), no tool has been developed to study its genome in a high-throughput fashion. Here, we describe the creation of a transposon insertion mutant library of the HSV-1 genome. Using this tool, we aimed to identify novel viral regulators of type I interferon (IFN-I). HSV-1 evades the host immune system by encoding viral proteins that inhibit the type I interferon response. Applying differential selective pressure, we identified the three strongest viral IFN-I regulators in HSV-1. We report that the viral polymerase processivity factor UL42 interacts with the host transcription factor IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3), inhibiting its phosphorylation and downstream beta interferon (IFN-β) gene transcription. This study represents a proof of concept for the use of high-throughput screening of the HSV-1 genome in investigating viral biology and offers new targets both for antiviral therapy and for oncolytic vector design. IMPORTANCE This work is the first to report the use of a high-throughput mutagenesis method to study the genome of HSV-1. We report three novel viral proteins potentially involved in regulating the host type I interferon response. We describe a novel mechanism by which the viral protein UL42 is able to suppress the production of beta interferon. The tool we introduce in this study can be used to study the HSV-1 genome in great detail to better understand viral gene functions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thibaut Deschamps ◽  
Maria Kalamvoki

ABSTRACT The stimulator of interferon (IFN) genes (STING) is a broad antimicrobial factor that restricts herpes simplex virus (HSV) by activating type I interferon and proinflammatory responses upon sensing of foreign DNA. UL46 is one of the most abundant tegument proteins of HSV-1, but a well-established function has yet to be found. We found that the HSV-1 UL46 protein interacts with and colocalizes with STING. A ΔUL46 virus displayed growth defects and activated innate immunity, but both effects were alleviated in STING knockdown cells. UL46 was also required for the inhibition of the 2′,3′-cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP)-dependent immune responses during infection. In cells expressing UL46, out of the context of the infection, innate immunity to a ΔICP0 virus was largely compromised, and that permitted ICP0-deficient mutants to replicate. The UL46-expressing cell lines also rescued the defects of the ΔUL46 virus and enhanced wild-type virus infection. The UL46-expressing cell lines did not activate interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) transcription following treatment with the noncanonical cyclic dinucleotide 2′,3′-cGAMP, suggesting that the STING pathway may be compromised. Indeed, we found that both proteins STING and IFI16 were eliminated in cells constitutively expressing UL46 and that the accumulation of their transcripts was blocked. Finally, we demonstrated that UL46 via its N terminus binds to STING and, via its C terminus, to TBK1. These interactions appear to modulate the functions of STING during HSV-1 infection. Taken together, our studies describe a novel function for one of the least-studied proteins of HSV, the tegument protein UL46, and that function involves the evasion of foreign DNA-sensing pathways. IMPORTANCE Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) afflicts 80% of the population worldwide, causing various diseases. After initial infection, the virus establishes latent reservoirs in sensory neurons and persists for life. Here we describe novel interactions between HSV-1 and the DNA sensor STING. We found that (i) HSV-1 tegument protein UL46 interacts with and colocalizes with STING; (ii) UL46 expressed out of the context of the infection blocks type I interferon triggered by STING stimuli, through the elimination of STING and of interferon-inducible protein 16 (IFI16); (iii) a ΔUL46 virus displayed growth defects, which were rescued in STING knockdown cells; (iv) the ΔUL46 virus failed to block innate immunity triggered by ligands of STING such as 2′,3′-cGAMP and also activated IFN-β and ISG expression; and (v) UL46 binds to both STING and TBK1 through different domains. We conclude that UL46 counteracts the actions of STING during HSV-1 infection.


2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (23) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Manivanh ◽  
Jesse Mehrbach ◽  
David M. Knipe ◽  
David A. Leib

ABSTRACT During viral infection, pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and their associated adaptors recruit TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) to activate interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), resulting in production of type I interferons (IFNs). ICP0 and ICP34.5 are among the proteins encoded by herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) that modulate type I IFN signaling. We constructed a recombinant virus (ΔXX) that lacks amino acids 87 to 106, a portion of the previously described TBK1-binding domain of the γ34.5 gene (D. Verpooten, Y. Ma, S. Hou, Z. Yan, and B. He, J Biol Chem 284:1097–1105, 2009, https://doi.org/10.1074/JBC.M805905200 ). These 20 residues are outside the γ34.5 beclin1-binding domain (BBD) that interacts with beclin1 and regulates autophagy. Unexpectedly, ΔXX showed no deficit in replication in vivo in a variety of tissues and showed virulence comparable to that of wild-type and marker-rescued viruses following intracerebral infection. ΔXX was fully capable of mediating the dephosphorylation of eIF2α, and the virus was capable of controlling the phosphorylation of IRF3. In contrast, a null mutant in γ34.5 failed to control IRF3 phosphorylation due to an inability of the mutant to sustain expression of ICP0. Our data show that while γ34.5 regulates IRF3 phosphorylation, the TBK1-binding domain itself has no impact on IRF3 phosphorylation or on replication and pathogenesis in mice. IMPORTANCE Interferons (IFNs) are potent activators of a variety of host responses that serve to control virus infections. The Herpesviridae have evolved countermeasures to IFN responses. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) encodes the multifunctional neurovirulence protein ICP34.5. In this study, we investigated the biological relevance of the interaction between ICP34.5 and TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1), an activator of IFN responses. Here, we establish that although ICP34.5 binds TBK1 under certain conditions through a TBK1-binding domain (TBD), there was no direct impact of the TBD on viral replication or virulence in mice. Furthermore, we showed that activation of IRF3, a substrate of TBK1, was independent of the TBD. Instead, we provided evidence that the ability of ICP34.5 to control IRF3 activation is through its ability to reverse translational shutoff and sustain the expression of other IFN inhibitors encoded by the virus. This work provides new insights into the immunomodulatory functions of ICP34.5.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanyuan Li ◽  
Yueqi Song ◽  
Leqing Zhu ◽  
Xiao Wang ◽  
Brittany Richers ◽  
...  

Type I interferon kappa (IFNκ) is selectively expressed in human keratinocytes. Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) is a human pathogen that infects keratinocytes and causes lytic skin lesions. Whether IFNκ plays a role in keratinocyte host defense against HSV-1 has not been investigated. In this study, we found that IFNκ mRNA expression was induced by addition of recombinant IFNκ and poly (I:C); and its expression level was significantly greater than IFNa2, IFNb1, and IFNL1 in both undifferentiated and differentiated normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) under resting and stimulation conditions. Although IFNe was expressed at a relatively higher level than other IFNs in resting undifferentiated NHEK, its expression level did not change after stimulation with recombinant IFNκ and poly (I:C). HSV-1 infection inhibited gene expression of IFNκ and IFNe in NHEK. Silencing IFNκ in NHEK led to significantly enhanced HSV-1 replication in both undifferentiated and differentiated NHEK compared to scrambled siRNA-transfected cells, while the addition of recombinant IFNκ significantly reduced HSV-1 replication in NHEK. In addition, we found that IFNκ did not regulate protein expression of NHEK differentiation markers. Our results demonstrate that IFNκ is the dominant type of IFNs in keratinocytes and it has an important function for keratinocytes to combat HSV-1 infection.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Rivas ◽  
James A. Goodrich ◽  
Jennifer F. Kugel

AbstractInfection by Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) impacts nearly all steps of gene expression in the host cell. The regulatory mechanisms by which this occurs, and the interplay between host and viral factors, have yet to be fully elucidated. Here we investigated how the occupancy of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) on the host genome changes during HSV-1 infection and is impacted by the viral immediate early protein ICP4. Pol II ChIP-seq experiments revealed a reduction of Pol II occupancy across the bodies of hundreds of host genes that was dependent upon ICP4. Concomitantly, Pol II levels increased across the bodies of several hundred genes, the majority of which also depended on ICP4 for activation. Our data suggest ICP4 regulates repression of Pol II at host genes by inhibiting recruitment of Pol II, while it regulates activation by promoting release of Pol II from promoter proximal pausing into productive elongation. Consistent with this, relative levels of the pausing factors NELF-A and Spt5 were reduced on an HSV-1 activated gene in an ICP4 dependent manner. Exogenous expression of ICP4 revealed that ICP4 can activate, but not repress, transcription of some genes in the absence of infection in a manner that correlates with the chromatin state of the gene. Together our data support the model that ICP4 decreases promoter proximal pausing on host genes activated by infection, and ICP4 is necessary, but not sufficient, to repress transcription from host genes during viral infection.


2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek J. Royer ◽  
Meghan M. Carr ◽  
Ana J. Chucair-Elliott ◽  
William P. Halford ◽  
Daniel J. J. Carr

ABSTRACT Viral fitness dictates virulence and capacity to evade host immune defenses. Understanding the biological underpinnings of such features is essential for rational vaccine development. We have previously shown that the live-attenuated herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) mutant lacking the nuclear localization signal (NLS) on the ICP0 gene (0ΔNLS) is sensitive to inhibition by interferon beta (IFN-β) in vitro and functions as a highly efficacious experimental vaccine. Here, we characterize the host immune response and in vivo pathogenesis of HSV-1 0ΔNLS relative to its fully virulent parental strain in C57BL/6 mice. Additionally, we explore the role of type 1 interferon (IFN-α/β) signaling on virulence and immunogenicity of HSV-1 0ΔNLS and uncover a probable sex bias in the induction of IFN-α/β in the cornea during HSV-1 infection. Our data show that HSV-1 0ΔNLS lacks neurovirulence even in highly immunocompromised mice lacking the IFN-α/β receptor. These studies support the translational viability of the HSV-1 0ΔNLS vaccine strain by demonstrating that, while it is comparable to a virulent parental strain in terms of immunogenicity, HSV-1 0ΔNLS does not induce significant tissue pathology. IMPORTANCE HSV-1 is a common human pathogen associated with a variety of clinical presentations ranging in severity from periodic “cold sores” to lethal encephalitis. Despite the consistent failures of HSV subunit vaccines in clinical trials spanning the past 28 years, opposition to live-attenuated HSV vaccines predicated on unfounded safety concerns currently limits their widespread acceptance. Here, we demonstrate that a live-attenuated HSV-1 vaccine has great translational potential.


2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (13) ◽  
pp. 5939-5952 ◽  
Author(s):  
James R. Brown ◽  
Kristen L. Conn ◽  
Peter Wasson ◽  
Matthew Charman ◽  
Lily Tong ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTAspects of intrinsic antiviral immunity are mediated bypromyelocyticleukemianuclearbody (PML-NB) constituent proteins. During herpesvirus infection, these antiviral proteins are independently recruited to nuclear domains that contain infecting viral genomes to cooperatively promote viral genome silencing. Central to the execution of this particular antiviral response is thesmallubiquitin-likemodifier (SUMO) signaling pathway. However, the participating SUMOylation enzymes are not fully characterized. We identify the SUMO ligaseproteininhibitor ofactivatedSTAT1 (PIAS1) as a constituent PML-NB protein. We show that PIAS1 localizes at PML-NBs in aSUMOinteractionmotif (SIM)-dependent manner that requires SUMOylated or SUMOylation-competent PML. Following infection with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), PIAS1 is recruited to nuclear sites associated with viral genome entry in a SIM-dependent manner, consistent with the SIM-dependent recruitment mechanisms of other well-characterized PML-NB proteins. In contrast to that of Daxx and Sp100, however, the recruitment of PIAS1 is enhanced by PML. PIAS1 promotes the stable accumulation of SUMO1 at nuclear sites associated with HSV-1 genome entry, whereas the accumulation of other evaluated PML-NB proteins occurs independently of PIAS1. We show that PIAS1 cooperatively contributes to HSV-1 restriction through mechanisms that are additive to those of PML and cooperative with those of PIAS4. The antiviral mechanisms of PIAS1 are counteracted by ICP0, the HSV-1 SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase, which disrupts the recruitment of PIAS1 to nuclear domains that contain infecting HSV-1 genomes through mechanisms that do not directly result in PIAS1 degradation.IMPORTANCEAdaptive, innate, and intrinsic immunity cooperatively and efficiently restrict the propagation of viral pathogens. Intrinsic immunity mediated by constitutively expressed cellular proteins represents the first line of intracellular defense against infection. PML-NB constituent proteins mediate aspects of intrinsic immunity to restrict herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) as well as other viruses. These proteins repress viral replication through mechanisms that rely on SUMO signaling. However, the participating SUMOylation enzymes are not known. We identify the SUMO ligase PIAS1 as a constituent PML-NB antiviral protein. This finding distinguishes a SUMO ligase that may mediate signaling events important in PML-NB-mediated intrinsic immunity. Moreover, this research complements the recent identification of PIAS4 as an intrinsic antiviral factor, supporting a role for PIAS proteins as both positive and negative regulators of host immunity to virus infection.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document