Zika virus inhibits type‐I interferon production and downstream signaling

Zika virus is an emerging mosquito‐borne pathogen that is associated with Guillain–Barré syndrome in adults and microcephaly and other neurological defects in newborns. Despite being declared an international emergency by the World Health Organization, comparatively little is known about its biology. Here, we investigate the strategies employed by the virus to suppress the host antiviral response. We observe that once established, Zika virus infection is impervious to interferon treatment suggesting that the virus deploys effective countermeasures to host cell defences. This is confirmed by experiments showing that Zika virus infection impairs the induction of type‐I interferon as well as downstream interferon‐stimulated genes. Multiple viral proteins affect these processes. Virus‐mediated degradation of STAT2 acts to reduce type‐I and type‐III interferon‐mediated signaling. Further, the NS5 of Zika virus binds to STAT2, and its expression is correlated with STAT2 degradation by the proteasome. Together, our findings provide key insights into how Zika virus blocks cellular defense systems. This in turn is important for understanding pathogenesis and may aid in designing antiviral therapies.     

Rubella virus capsid protein modulates viral genome replication and virus infectivity

The structural proteins (SP) of the Togaviridae can be deleted in defective interfering RNAs. The dispensability of viral SP has allowed construction of noninfectious viral expression vectors and replicons from viruses of the Alphavirus and Rubivirus genera. Nevertheless, in this study, we found that the SP of rubella virus (RUB) could enhance expression of reporter genes from RUB replicons in trans. SP enhancement required capsid protein (CP) expression and was not due to RNA-RNA recombination. Accumulation of minus- and plus-strand RNAs from replicons was observed in the presence of SP, suggesting that SP specifically affects RNA synthesis. By using replicons containing an antibiotic resistance gene, we found 2- to 50-fold increases in the number of cells surviving selection in the presence of SP. The increases depended significantly on the amount of transfected RNA. Small amounts of RNA or templates that replicated inefficiently showed more enhancement. The infectivity of infectious RNA was increased by at least 10-fold in cells expressing CP. Moreover, virus infectivity was greatly enhanced in such cells. In other cells that expressed higher levels of CP, RNA replication of replicons was inhibited. Thus, depending on conditions, CP can markedly enhance or inhibit RUB RNA replication.     

Enhanced inhibition of hepatitis B virus production by asialoglycoprotein receptor-directed interferon

Most chronic carriers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) do not respond to interferon (IFN) treatment. This limitation of IFN therapy may be due in part to scant expression of IFN receptor in the liver. Because the asialoglycoprotein (ASGP) receptor is specifically expressed in the liver at high density, the ASGP receptor-binding domain was generated within an N-glycosylated human IFN-beta molecule by the removal of sialic acid to direct this cytokine to the liver. This modified IFN (asialo-IFN-beta) demonstrated greater inhibition of HBV production in ASGP receptor-positive human liver cells transfected with a replication-competent HBV construct than did conventional IFN-alpha or IFN-beta. Furthermore, the enhanced antiviral effect of asialo-IFN-beta was supported by induction of the 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetase, an indicator of IFN activity, at a level significantly higher than that produced by conventional IFN-beta. Moreover, mouse asialo-IFN-beta profoundly reduced viremia in vivo in HBV-transfected athymic nude mice, in contrast to conventional IFN-beta, which had no substantial effect. These experiments demonstrate that directing IFN to ASGP receptor facilitates its signaling in the liver and augments its antiviral effect, and is therefore useful in overcoming the limited antiviral effect of conventional IFNs.     

ANXA1促进Ⅰ型干扰素表达抑制口蹄疫病毒的复制

【目的】研究膜联蛋白A1(Annexin A1,ANXA1)对Ⅰ型干扰素(I-IFN)表达及口蹄疫病毒(FMDV)复制的影响。【方法】开展过表达及Knockdown实验,检测ANXA1对FMDV复制的影响。利用双荧光素酶报告系统检测ANXA1对ISRE和IFN-β启动子元件活化的影响。双荧光素酶报告系统鉴定ANXA1调控Ⅰ-IFN通路活化靶分子。Western blotting检测ANXA1对干扰素调解因子3(IRF3)磷酸化的影响。Real-time PCR检测ANXA1对干扰素刺激基因(ISGs)的影响。【结果】过表达ANXA1显著抑制FMDV的复制;下调ANXA1表达促进FMDV复制(P0.01或P0.05);ANXA1促Ⅰ型干扰素通路活化,呈现剂量依赖性(P0.01)。ANXA1显著增强IRF3的磷酸化,促进ISGs的表达(P0.01或P0.05)。【结论】ANXA1促进Ⅰ-IFN表达,抑制FMDV的复制。     

Effects of interferon on hemoglobin synthesis and leukemia virus production in Friend cells

Establishment of the antiviral state by interferon does not impair differentiation of Friend cells. Interferon actually produces an increase in dimethylsulfoxide-induced hemoglobin synthesis. However, both the constitutive production and the induction of leukemia virus in these cells are inhibited by interferon.