Structural and Functional Characterization of Reston Ebola Virus VP35 Interferon Inhibitory Domain

Ebolaviruses are causative agents of lethal hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates. Among the filoviruses characterized thus far, Reston Ebola virus (REBOV) is the only Ebola virus that is nonpathogenic to humans despite the fact that REBOV can cause lethal disease in nonhuman primates. Previous studies also suggest that REBOV is less effective at inhibiting host innate immune responses than Zaire Ebola virus (ZEBOV) or Marburg virus. Virally encoded VP35 protein is critical for immune suppression, but an understanding of the relative contributions of VP35 proteins from REBOV and other filoviruses is currently lacking. In order to address this question, we characterized the REBOV VP35 interferon inhibitory domain (IID) using structural, biochemical, and virological studies. These studies reveal differences in double-stranded RNA binding and interferon inhibition between the two species. These observed differences are likely due to increased stability and loss of flexibility in REBOV VP35 IID, as demonstrated by thermal shift stability assays. Consistent with this finding, the 1.71-Å crystal structure of REBOV VP35 IID reveals that it is highly similar to that of ZEBOV VP35 IID, with an overall backbone r.m.s.d. of 0.64 Å, but contains an additional helical element at the linker between the two subdomains of VP35 IID. Mutations near the linker, including swapping sequences between REBOV and ZEBOV, reveal that the linker sequence has limited tolerance for variability. Together with the previously solved ligand-free and double-stranded-RNA-bound forms of ZEBOV VP35 IID structures, our current studies on REBOV VP35 IID reinforce the importance of VP35 in immune suppression. Functional differences observed between REBOV and ZEBOV VP35 proteins may contribute to observed differences in pathogenicity, but these are unlikely to be the major determinant. However, the high level of similarity in structure and the low tolerance for sequence variability, coupled with the multiple critical roles played by Ebola virus VP35 proteins, highlight the viability of VP35 as a potential target for therapeutic development.     

Pseudovirus rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP Infects Neurons in Retina and CNS,Causing Apoptosis and Neurodegeneration in Neonatal Mice

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The Ebola Virus Nucleoprotein Recruits the Host PP2A-B56 Phosphatase to Activate Transcriptional Support Activity of VP30

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Structures of Ebola and Reston Virus VP35 Oligomerization Domains and Comparative Biophysical Characterization in All Ebolavirus Species

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抗流感病毒中药及抗埃博拉病毒活性化合物的发现策略

2014年在非洲爆发流行的埃博拉病毒严重威胁人类健康和生命安全,迄今尚未有治疗药物,目前国内外许多医药机构尝试从不同视角发现抗埃博拉病毒的有效药物.本文在对抗流感病毒中药及活性成分进行回顾的基础上提出了抗埃博拉病毒活性化合物的发现策略,为从中药中发现抗埃博拉病毒有效物质提供借鉴和参考.     

猪流行性腹泻病毒与宿主抗病毒天然免疫抑制

猪流行性腹泻病毒(porcine epidemic diarrhea virus,PEDV)能引起猪腹泻等肠道疾病,属于α属冠状病毒,它的爆发给很多国家养猪业造成了严重的经济损失。2010年以来,PEDV感染在中国出现大规模爆发,一种突变型PEDV也于2013年在美国出现并迅速传播。 RNA病毒能够通过Toll样受体通路3（TLR3）和RIG-I样受体通路（RLR）诱导I型干扰素的产生。但以往的研究表明,PEDV感染能抑制I型干扰素的合成。近年来有关PEDV调节宿主天然免疫应答的研究取得了很大进展。PEDV主要通过编码作为干扰素拮抗剂的病毒蛋白以及隐藏病毒自身病原相关分子模式（PAMP）等两种方式逃逸宿主天然免疫应答。目前已报道,PEDV非结构蛋白1可通过降解CBP阻碍干扰素调节因子3(IRF-3)组装成增强子复合体;木瓜蛋白酶样蛋白酶可通过其去泛素化酶活性阻断天然免疫信号通路传递;3C样蛋白酶可通过剪切NEMO发挥干扰素拮抗剂活性;核衣壳蛋白通过结合TBK1抑制I型干扰素产生。PEDV也可通过合成加帽酶隐藏其病原相关分子dsRNA来避免激活天然免疫通路。PEDV抗病毒天然免疫机制阐明为研究PEDV感染免疫和致病机制提供了重要的理论依据,为研发抗PEDV新型疫苗和药物提供了基础。     

Immunization with AgTRIO,a Protein in Anopheles Saliva,Contributes to Protection against Plasmodium Infection in Mice

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Phagosomal Acidification Prevents Macrophage Inflammatory Cytokine Production to Malaria,and Dendritic Cells Are the Major Source at the Early Stages of Infection: IMPLICATION FOR MALARIA PROTECTIVE IMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT*

Inflammatory cytokines produced at the early stages of malaria infection contribute to shaping protective immunity and pathophysiology. To gain mechanistic insight into these processes, it is important to understand the cellular origin of cytokines because both cytokine input and cytokine-producing cells play key roles. Here, we determined cytokine responses by monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells (DCs) to purified Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium berghei ANKA, and by spleen macrophages and DCs from Plasmodium yoelii 17NXL-infected and P. berghei ANKA-infected mice. The results demonstrate that monocytes and macrophages do not produce inflammatory cytokines to malaria parasites and that DCs are the primary source early in infection, and DC subsets differentially produce cytokines. Importantly, blocking of phagosomal acidification by inhibiting vacuolar-type H⁺-ATPase enabled macrophages to elicit cytokine responses. Because cytokine responses to malaria parasites are mediated primarily through endosomal Toll-like receptors, our data indicate that the inability of macrophages to produce cytokines is due to the phagosomal acidification that disrupts endosomal ligand-receptor engagement. Macrophages efficiently produced cytokines to LPS upon simultaneously internalizing parasites and to heat-killed Escherichia coli, demonstrating that phagosomal acidification affects endosomal receptor-mediated, but not cell surface receptor-mediated, recognition of Toll-like receptor agonists. Enabling monocytes/macrophages to elicit immune responses to parasites by blocking endosomal acidification can be a novel strategy for the effective development of protective immunity to malaria. The results have important implications for enhancing the efficacy of a whole parasite-based malaria vaccine and for designing strategies for the development of protective immunity to pathogens that induce immune responses primarily through endosomal receptors.     

Resistance to Pseudorabies Virus with Enhanced Interferon Production and Natural Killer Cell Activity in Mice Treated with Serum Thymic Factor

Susceptibility to pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection in mice, which were continuously depleted of natural killer (NK) cell activity by injection of anti-asialo GM1, was examined. Effects of serum thymic factor (FTS) on susceptibility of mice to PRV were also investigated. In mice with depleted NK cell activity, the mortality of PRV-infected mice was markedly high, whereas that of FTS-pretreated mice was significantly lower than the controls. Reduced susceptibility to PRV was demonstrated in mice treated with anti-asialo GM1 antisera before the PRV infection. Such a reduced susceptibility was not observed in mice inoculated with the antisera on day 1 post-infection (PI). To analyze the FTS-induced resistance to PRV infection, NK cell activity, macrophage activity, and interferon (IFN) productions were studied. Interferon production and NK cell activity were enhanced in the FTS-pretreated mice, suggesting that interferon may play an important role in this FTS-induced resistance to PRV infection.     

抵御新发、突发病毒性传染病的新思路——天然免疫机制的系统医学研究和针对宿主的广谱抗病毒药物的研发

病毒性传染疾病是人类社会的重大威胁,严重危害人民生命安全和国家、社会安定.随着国内外经济发展,城镇化、都市化、全球化的进程加快,新发和突发病毒性传染病呈现不断增高的趋势,如艾滋病病毒、严重急性呼吸综合征病毒、禽流感病毒、甲流感病毒、埃博拉病毒等近年来一次又一次在世界不同地区频繁发生并蔓延、流行.本次埃博拉病毒在西非的爆发和疫情失控更再次警示我国和国际社会关于发展有效防治新发、突发病毒性传染病措施的重要性和紧迫性.天然免疫与宿主抗病研究领域的突破性进展为解决该世界性难题开辟了新的思路和途径.     

Induction of Selenoprotein P mRNA during Hepatitis C Virus Infection Inhibits RIG-I-Mediated Antiviral Immunity

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Trichomonas vaginalis Resistance to Mengo Virus Infection*

We have investigated the susceptibility of Trichomonas vaginalis to Mengo virus infection by comparing the outcome of Mengo virus or purified Mengo virus RNA infection in T. vaginalis and in CCL-1 mouse fibroblasts. While the adsorption and entry of Mengo virus into T. vaginalis occurred in the same manner as in fibroblasts, the uncoating was much slower. In addition, Mengo virus infection of T. vaginalis displayed no eclipse nor any subsequent production of infectious virus. Purified RNA failed to initiate productive infection in T. vaginalis, whereas it provoked viral replication in the fibroblast controls. It was shown by assessment of protein synthesis in T. vaginalis and mouse fibroblasts cell-free systems that the protozoan ribosomes were able to translate endogenous mRNA and poly-U, but not viral RNA.     

Collective Infection of Cells by Viral Aggregates Promotes Early Viral Proliferation and Reveals a Cellular-Level Allee Effect

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CD8+ T Lymphocytes Are the Major Cell Population Involved in the Early Gamma Interferon Response and Resistance to Acute Primary Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Mice

Gamma interferon (IFN-γ) is known to be a major mediator influencing host defense against Toxoplasma (T.) gondii. To evaluate lymphocyte populations involved in this cytokine-mediated early resistance to T. gondii, the effects of in vivo administration of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against T-cell subsets and anti-asialo GM1 antibody on the course of infection and IFN-γ response were investigated in mice infected acutely with this parasitic protozoan. A single injection of anti-CD8 MAb on day ?1 or day 4 severely exacerbated the infection, in accordance with a marked suppression of endogenous IFN-γ production. Moreover, the administration of anti-IFN-γ MAb on day 0 but not later than day 4 resulted in a total abrogation of resistance to T. gondii, suggesting that endogenous IFN-γ produced during the first several days of infection is critical for the generation of antitoxoplasmal resistance in mice. In contrast, no significant increase in mortality was observed when injected with either anti-CD4 MAb or anti-asialo GM1 antibody on day ? 1, while these antibodies reduced significantly the ability of mice to produce IFN-γ. Indeed, simultaneous depletion of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cells had no greater suppressive effect on host defense and endogenous IFN-γ production than depletion of CD8⁺ cells alone. Together, these results suggest that CD8⁺ T cells play a central role for resolution of acute toxoplasmosis by participating in endogenous IFN-γ production. The possible role of early produced IFN-γ in the development of protective immune response to T. gondii is also discussed.     

An Immunocompetent Mouse Model of Zika Virus Infection

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猪流行性腹泻病毒(PEDV)与抗病毒天然免疫

猪流行性腹泻病毒(porcine epidemic diarrhea virus,PEDV)是引起猪流行性腹泻病等肠道疾病的一种动物冠状病毒.PEDV与宿主系统相互作用,特别是其对宿主抗病毒天然免疫调节作用和机制是目前动物冠状病毒研究的基础科学问题之一.基于作者近几年来对人类重要冠状病毒对宿主抗病毒天然免疫系统调节作用的研究,本文对PEDV基因组与编码蛋白主要功能以及PEDV调节宿主抗病毒天然免疫反应及其可能机制的进展和现状进行了分析.与人类冠状病毒相似,PEDV编码的木瓜样蛋白酶(papain like protease,PLP)是一个多功能蛋白酶,除了蛋白酶活性外,还具有去泛素化酶(DUB)活性和宿主干扰素拮抗活性,是PEDV编码的一种新型病毒来源DUB和宿主干扰素拮抗蛋白.这些研究为阐明PEDV对宿主抗病毒天然免疫反应调节作用和其致病机制提供了重要的理论依据,为研制新型PEDV免疫防治措施提供了重要理论基础.     

Resistance to Potato Virus X Infection in Transgenic Tobacco Plants with Coat Protein Gene of Virus

A major commercial cultivar of tobacco was transformed via Agrobacterium mediated procedure. Tobacco leaves started to form shoots on shoot inducing medium containing kanamycin after infected by Agrobacterium containing the plasmid with PVX CP gene. Regenerated plants were obtained in two weeks on hormone-free MS medium containing kanamycin. The transgenic tobacco plants were identified with nopaline detection,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blot analysis, symptom appearance was significantly delayed and virus accumulation was either absent or reduced in PVX CP gene transformed plants. Progenies of transgenic tobacco plants also gained resistance to PVX infection to a certain degree. These experiments demonstrate that CP protection is effective against PVX.     

Naturally Induced Humoral Immunity to West Nile Virus Infection in Raptors

West Nile virus (WNV) infection can be fatal to many bird species, including numerous raptors, though population- and ecosystem-level impacts following introduction of the virus to North America have been difficult to document. Raptors occupy a diverse array of habitats worldwide and are important to ecosystems for their role as opportunistic predators. We documented initial (primary) WNV infection and then regularly measured WNV-specific neutralizing antibody titers in 16 resident raptors of seven species, plus one turkey vulture. Most individuals were initially infected and seroconverted between July and September of 2003, though three birds remained seronegative until summer 2006. Many of these birds became clinically ill upon primary infection, with clinical signs ranging from loss of appetite to moderate neurological disease. Naturally induced WNV neutralizing antibody titers remained essentially unchanged in some birds, while eight individuals experienced secondary rises in titer presumably due to additional exposures at 1, 2, or 3 years following primary infection. No birds experienced clinical signs surrounding or following the time of secondary exposure, and therefore antibodies were considered protective. Results of this study have implications for transmission dynamics of WNV and health of raptor populations, as well as the interpretation of serologic data from free-ranging and captive birds. Antibodies in raptors surviving WNV may persist for multiple years and protect against potential adverse effects of subsequent exposures.