Modulation of cell signaling pathways by kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8)

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), also known as human herpesvirus 8, has been associated with the development of Kaposi's sarcoma, pleural effusion lymphoma, and multicentric Castleman's disease. KSHV is a double-stranded DNA virus that has been classified as a gammaherpesvirus. The viral genome is approx, 160 kb long and encodes for several genes that are involved in cell signaling pathways. These include genes that are unique to the virus as well as viral homologues of cellular genes. The latter are likely to have been usurped from the host genome and include both virokines and viral receptor proteins. This article reviews how these KSHV proteins modulate cellular signal transduction pathways.     

The solution structure of the anti-HIV chemokine vMIP-II

We report the solution structure of the chemotactic cytokine (chemokine) vMIP-II. This protein has unique biological activities in that it blocks infection by several different human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) strains. This occurs because vMIP-II binds to a wide range of chemokine receptors, some of which are used by HJV to gain cell entry. vMIP-II is a monomeric protein, unlike most members of the chemokine family, and its structure consists of a disordered N-terminus, followed by a helical turn (Gln25-Leu27), which leads into the first strand of a three-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet (Ser29-Thr34; Gly42-Thr47; Gln52-Asp56). Following the sheet is a C-terminal alpha-helix, which extends from residue Asp60 until Gln68. The final five residues beyond the C-terminal helix (Pro70-Arg74) are in an extended conformation, but several of these C-terminal residues contact the first beta-strand. The structure of vMIP-II is compared to other chemokines that also block infection by HIV-1, and the structural basis of its lack of ability to form a dimer is discussed.     

Viral-Mediated AURKB Cleavage Promotes Cell Segregation and Tumorigenesis

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Manipulation of the host cell membrane by humanγ-herpesviruses EBV and KSHV for pathogenesis

The cell membrane regulates many physiological processes including cellular communication,homing and metabolism. It is therefore not surprising that the composition of the host cell membrane is manipulated by intracellular pathogens. Among these, the human oncogenic herpesviruses Epstein–Barr virus(EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus(KSHV)exploit the host cell membrane to avoid immune surveillance and promote viral replication.Accumulating evidence has shown that both EBV and KSHV directly encode several similar membrane-associated proteins, including receptors and receptor-specific ligands(cytokines and chemokines), to increase virus fitness in spite of host antiviral immune responses. These proteins are expressed individually at different phases of the EBV/KSHV life cycle and employ various mechanisms to manipulate the host cell membrane. In recent decades, much effort has been made to address how these membrane-based signals contribute to viral tumorigenesis. In this review, we summarize and highlight the recent understanding of how EBV and KSHV similarly manipulate host cell membrane signals, particularly how remodeling of the cell membrane allows EBV and KSHV to avoid host antiviral immune responses and favors their latent and lytic infection.     

Functional availability of γ-herpesvirus K-cyclin is regulated by cellular CDK6 and p16INK4a

Viral K-cyclin derived from Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus is homologous with mammalian D-type cyclins. Here, we demonstrated the regulatory mechanisms for K-cyclin function and degradation in human embryonic kidney HEK293 and primary effusion lymphoma JSC-1 cell lines. Proteasome inhibitor MG132 treatment induced an accumulation of ubiquitinated K-cyclin in these cells, and co-expression of CDK6 prevented K-cyclin ubiquitination. Also K-cyclin mutants incompetent for CDK6-binding were destabilized by proteasome pathway. Furthermore, silencing of p16INK4a promoted K-cyclin-CDK6 complex formation and hence induced K-cyclin-associated kinase activity in HEK293 cells. These observations indicate that CDK6-bound K-cyclin is functionally stable but monomeric K-cyclin is targeted to ubiquitin-dependent degradation pathway in these cells. Our data suggest that the balance between CDK6 and p16INK4a regulates the availability of functional K-cyclin in human cells.     

HHV6感染激活卡波济肉瘤相关疱疹病毒(KSHV)的溶解性周期复制

运用细胞融合、细胞混合培养、条件培养基培养和病毒直接刺激等方法,研究人类疱疹病毒6型(HHV6)对卡波济肉瘤相关疱疹病毒(KSHV)溶解性周期复制的影响。①将HHV6感染的JJhan细胞(T淋巴细胞系)与BCBL-1细胞(原发性渗出性淋巴瘤,PEL)进行细胞融合形成异核体细胞。②将HHV6感染的JJhan细胞与BcBL-1细胞进行混合培养。③收集HHV6感染的JJhan细胞培养上清液作为条件培养基进行灭活处理,以灭活前后的条件培养基培养BcBL-1细胞。进一步离心纯化HHV6病毒颗粒,并感染BCBL-1细胞,分别设紫外线和热灭活的HHV6病毒颗粒感染BCBL-1细胞为对照。提取上述的实验细胞总RNA,RT-PCR和／或实时定量(Real-time)PCR检测卡波济肉瘤相关疱疹病毒(KSHV)次要衣壳蛋白编码基因ORF26 mRNA转录。结果显示：①细胞融合后15h开始出现明显细胞病变,RT-PCR检测不同时间的实验组ORF26 mRNA转录水平均明显高于对照组;Real-time PCR检测各时间ORF26 mRNA转录水平是对照组的2．3倍以上;②细胞混合培养72h时,实验组ORF26 mRNA转录水平是对照组的1．8倍;混合培养5天时,实验组KSHV裂解周期蛋白K8．1表达水平是对照组的2．46倍;③灭活前后的HHV6感染细胞培养上清液培养BCBL-1细胞96h时,ORF26 mRNA转录水平分别是对照组的2．73倍和2．22倍;④灭活前后的HHV6均可增强BCBL-1细胞中KStHV ORF26 mRNA转录水平。提示：KHV6感染可激活KSHV的溶解性周期复制。     

Phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4B (EIF4B) by open reading frame 45/p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (ORF45/RSK) signaling axis facilitates protein translation during Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) lytic replication

Open reading frame 45 (ORF45) of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) causes sustained activation of p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK), which is crucial for KSHV lytic replication, but the exact functional roles remain to be determined. To characterize the biological consequence of persistent RSK activation by ORF45, we screened known cellular substrates of RSK. We found that ORF45 induced phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4B (eIF4B), increased its assembly into translation initiation complex, and subsequently facilitated protein translation. The ORF45/RSK-mediated eIF4B phosphorylation was distinguishable from that caused by the canonical AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin/ribosomal S6 kinase and MEK/ERK/RSK pathways because it was resistant to both rapamycin (an mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor) and U1026 (an MEK inhibitor). The rapamycin and U1026 doubly insensitive eIF4B phosphorylation was induced during KSHV reactivation but was abolished if either ORF45 or RSK1/2 were ablated by siRNA, a pattern that is correlated with reduced lytic gene expression as we observed previously. Ectopic expression of eIF4B but not its phosphorylation-deficient mutant form increased KSHV lytic gene expression and production of progeny viruses. Together, these results indicated that ORF45/RSK axis-induced eIF4B phosphorylation is involved in translational regulation and is required for optimal KSHV lytic replication.