Interaction of a nuclear factor-1-like protein with the regulatory region of the human polyomavirus JC virus

We have initiated a study to identify host proteins which interact with the regulatory region of the human polyomavirus JC (JCV), which is associated with the demyelinating disease, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. We examined the interaction of nuclear proteins prepared from different cell lines with the JCV regulatory region by DNA binding gel retardation assays. Binding was detected with nuclear extracts prepared from human fetal glial cells, glioma cells, and HeLa cells. Little or no binding was detected with nuclear extracts prepared from human embryonic kidney cells. Competitive binding assays suggest that the nuclear factor(s) which interacted with the JCV regulatory region was different from those which interacted with the regulatory region of the closely related polyomavirus SV40. We found three areas in the JCV regulatory region protected from DNase I digestion: site A, located just upstream from the TATA sequence in the first 98-base pair (bp) repeat; site B, located upstream from the TATA sequence in the second 98-bp repeat; and site C, located just following the second 98-bp repeat. There were some differences in the ability of the nuclear factor(s) from the two brain cell lines and HeLa cells to completely protect the nucleotides within the footprint region. The results from the DNase I protective studies and competitive DNA binding studies with specific oligonucleotides, suggest that nuclear factor-1 or a nuclear factor-1-like factor is interacting with all three sites in the JCV regulatory region. In addition, the results suggest that the nuclear factor which interacts with the JCV regulatory region from human brain cell lines is different from the factor found in HeLa cells.     

Regulation of JC virus expression in B lymphocytes.

The etiologic agent of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, a subacute demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, is the human polyomavirus JC virus (JCV), which causes a lytic infection of myelin-producing oligodendrocytes. In infected individuals the JCV genome can be detected in brain tissue and B lymphocytes isolated from the blood, bone marrow, or lymph nodes. Using mobility shift assays and a radiolabeled oligonucleotide from the JCV promoter-enhancer region (JCV bp 130 to 160), referred to as domain B, we were able to detect specific bands of the same mobility in nuclear extracts from human fetal glial cells, U-251 glioma cells, different B-cell lines, and in vitro-activated tonsillar B lymphocytes but not from T cells. In addition, a specific shift was detected when using nuclear extracts from freshly isolated tonsillar or lymph node B cells from five AIDS patients, two of whom later developed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Somewhat surprisingly, the above gel shift was partially inhibited by unlabeled oligonucleotides containing a kappa E2-binding site. UV cross-linking of the protein-DNA complex from either B cells or glial cells and analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of a 46-kDa band. Transient transfection of a reporter plasmid constructed by fusing a trimer of the domain B sequence to a minimal promoter revealed activity in B lymphocytes and glial cells but not in T cells. Mutational analysis of this region demonstrated that the core TGGC repeat was essential for enhancer activity. Thus, a similar protein in B lymphocytes and glial cells may account for the preferential replication of JCV in these two cell types.     

A 53 kDa protein binds to the negative regulatory region of JC virus early promoter.

Using gel retardation and photocrosslinking experiments, we have identified proteins of about 53 kDa in size in both rat glioma (C6) and cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cell extracts which bind to the negative regulatory region of JV virus (JCV) early promoter. The glial cell protein binds to its cognate promoter element with lesser affinity when compared to the protein present in HeLa cells. Further, these proteins interacted differentially to an oligonucleotide, containing the neighboring cis-acting domain, which is recognized by nuclear factor 1 (NF1). These findings suggest that the interactions of the 53 kDa HeLa protein may contribute to the negative regulation of JCV early promoter in HeLA cells.     

Mapping 5'' termini of JC virus early RNAs.

Within its enhancer promoter region, the MAD-1 strain of JC virus (JCV) has two 98-base-pair tandem repeats, each containing a TATA box-like sequence. In the present study, polyadenylated early JCV mRNAs were isolated 5 or 29 days after infection of primary human fetal glial (PHFG) cells. By using S1 nuclease, the 5' termini of the early mRNAs were mapped to nucleotide position(s) (np) 122 through 125, which lies within an AT rich region (at np 113 through 127). In contrast, when JCV DNA was transcribed in vitro, we observed a single major cluster of 5' start sites at np 94 through 97, which is approximately 25 base pairs downstream from one of the TATA boxes. By day 5, the earliest time at which JCV RNA was detected, viral DNA replication had begun; it continued for at least an additional 20 days. Since more late than early RNA was present at 5 days postinfection, the early RNAs whose synthesis began at np 122 through 125 may be analogous to SV40 late early mRNA (Ghosh and Lebowitz, J. Virol. 40:224-240, 1981). However, we have not detected RNAs with 5' termini 25 to 30 bp downstream from the TATA box at earlier times. While JCV contains two identical TATA boxes, one in each of the 98-bp repeats, only the upstream TATA box functions as an early promoter element.     

Numerous nuclear proteins bind the long control region of human papillomavirus type 16: a subset of 6 of 23 DNase I-protected segments coincides with the location of the cell-type-specific enhancer.

The long control region of the human papillomavirus type 16 genome is 856 base pairs (bp) long. It contains a cell-type-specific enhancer, a glucocorticoid response element, and sequences mediating the response to the viral gene products of open reading frame E2; all three regulate the promoter P97. We mapped binding sites of trans-acting proteins relevant for the cell-type-specific enhancer and other cis-acting elements by DNase I footprint experiments with nuclear extracts from HeLa cells. Throughout the human papillomavirus type 16 long control region 23 footprints protect 557 of 900 bp. Nine footprints fall into a 400-bp segment that was previously identified to contain the cell-type-specific enhancer. Variations of the protein concentration in the footprint reaction do not affect six of these nine footprints. At high protein concentrations, three footprints fuse to a 106-bp protected region, suggesting that this segment specifically binds several proteins of lower affinity or abundance. Unexpectedly, extracts from human MCF7 and mouse 3T3 cells, in which the enhancer is inactive, give footprints identical to those obtained with HeLa extracts. Seven footprints contain the sequence 5'-TTGGC-3'. Footprint competition experiments suggest that factor NFI binds to these seven motifs. Competition with cloned oligonucleotides in transfections suggests that these elements contribute to the enhancer function. Subcloning identifies a 232-bp fragment between positions 7524 and 7755 as sufficient for full enhancer activity. Several of the six footprinted elements on this segment may cooperate functionally, since subclones of this region show decreased or no cell-type-specific enhancer function.     

The 21bp repeat element of the human cytomegalovirus major immediate early enhancer is a negative regulator of gene expression in undifferentiated cells.

The major immediate early regulatory region of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has a complex set of DNA sites through which both cellular and viral factors coordinately regulate immediate early gene expression. In undifferentiated human teratocarcinoma (T2) cells we have previously shown that major immediate early gene expression is repressed by a differentiation specific nuclear factor MBF1, which binds to the imperfect dyad symmetry located upstream of the enhancer. However, upon differentiation MBF1 decreases resulting in immediate early gene expression. In this study we show, by mobility shift analysis that the same or similar factor(s) also binds to the 21bp repeat of the major immediate early enhancer. Deletion of this 21bp repeat from the immediate early enhancer expression vectors results in increased CAT expression in undifferentiated T2 cells, to levels similar to that in differentiated cells. Consequently, the 21bp repeat of the HCMV enhancer also acts to negatively regulate major immediate early enhancer function in non-permissive cells.     

Human fetal Schwann cells support JC virus multiplication.

The human papovavirus JC virus (JCV), the etiologic agent of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, displays a narrow host range for growth, preferentially infecting oligodendrocytes, the myelin-producing cells of the central nervous system. In tissue culture, human fetal brain cells have been used for JCV propagation because of their ability to support JCV virion production. In this study, we evidence that a human fetal cell type derived from the peripheral nervous system can be productively infected with JCV. Schwann cells, the cell type responsible for myelination in the peripheral nervous system, support the expression of JCV T antigen and JCV DNA replication. However, viral proteins and DNA replication were not detected either in dorsal root ganglion neurons or fibroblasts. These results extend the host range of JCV to include another cell of the glial lineage whose function is myelin formation.