The 89,000-Mr murine cytomegalovirus immediate-early protein activates gene transcription

To study trans-activation of gene expression by murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) immediate-early (IE) proteins, the IE coding region 1 (ie1), which encodes the 89,000-Mr IE phosphoprotein (pp89), was stably introduced into L cells. A cell line was selected and characterized that efficiently expressed the authentic viral protein. The pp89 that was constitutively expressed in L cells stimulated the expression of transfected recombinant constructs containing the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene under the control of viral promoters. The regulatory function of the ie1 product was confirmed by transient expression assays in which MCMV IE genes were cotransfected into L cells together with recombinant constructs of the CAT gene. For CAT activation by the ie1 product, a promoter region was required, but there was no preferential activation of a herpes simplex virus type 1 delayed-early promoter. All plasmid constructs that contained the intact coding sequences for pp89 induced gene expression in trans. The MCMV enhancer region was not essential for the expression of a functional IE gene product, and testing of the cis-regulatory activity of the MCMV enhancer revealed a low activity in L cells. Another region transcribed at IE times of infection, IE coding region 2, was unable to induce CAT expression and also did not augment the functional activity of ie1 after cotransfection.     

Characterization of the major immediate-early polypeptides encoded by murine cytomegalovirus.

The immediate-early (IE) infected cell proteins induced by the murine cytomegalovirus (Smith strain) were studied. These polypeptides were identified as IE proteins by their synthesis in the presence of actinomycin D after removal from a protein synthesis block mediated by cycloheximide. By using a murine antiserum against murine cytomegalovirus, three abundant polypeptides of 89, 84, and 76 kilodaltons (kd) were immunoprecipitated. The three major proteins are phosphorylated but not glycosylated and share antigenic determinants recognized by monoclonal antibodies. The 84 and 76-kd polypeptides represent post-translational modification products of the 89-kd protein. Accordingly, in vitro translation of IE infected cell RNA revealed only the 89-kd polypeptide. The viral origin of the RNA species directing the synthesis of the major 89-kd IE polypeptide was verified by hybrid selection of IE RNA with DNA fragments representing the region from 0.769 to 0.815 map units of the murine cytomegalovirus genome. IE polypeptides were found to be located in the nuclei and the cytoplasm of infected cells. Studies on the kinetics of IE polypeptide synthesis revealed negative regulatory effects on IE gene expression correlated with the synthesis of early proteins.     

Sequence and structural organization of the human gene encoding ciliary neurotrophic factor.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a potent polypeptide hormone whose actions appear to be restricted to the nervous system where it promotes survival, neurotransmitter synthesis and neurite outgrowth in certain neuronal populations. We have cloned the gene encoding human CNTF (hCNTF) and have characterized its structure and organization. The hCNTF gene appears to be a unique-copy gene with a simple genetic organization, since only a single intron interrupts the coding domain. The hCNTF gene is located on chromosome 11, as determined using human-hamster somatic cell hybrids. The CNTF protein is highly conserved in evolution. The amino acid (aa) sequences of rat and rabbit CNTF translated from cDNAs display approx. 85% homology with the deduced aa sequence encoding hCNTF.     

Analysis of structural proteins of purified murine cytomegalovirus.

Murine cytomegalovirus propagated in mouse embryo fibroblasts was purified by the following procedures. (i) Extracellular virus was concentrated by centrifugation at 100,000 x g for 90 min. (ii) The concentrated virus was passed through a Bio-Rad Bio-Gel A-15m column to eliminate contaminating materials smaller than 15 x 10(6) daltons. Most of the virus was recovered in the void volume of the column. (iii) Two consecutive centrifugations through 20 to 50% potassium tartrate gradients were performed. After the second tartrate gradient centrifugation, symmetrical, coinciding peaks of plaque titer, protein, and radioactivity were found at a density between 1.20 g/cm3 and 1.21 g/cm3. To establish purification criteria, virus was purified from two different mixtures: [35S]methionine-labeled extracellular virus, mixed with an equal volume of unlabeled normal culture fluid, and unlabeled extracellular virus mixed with an equal volume of [35S]methionine-labeled normal culture fluid. At the end of the procedure, the extent of purification, as judged by the ratio of cellular to viral radioactivity was at least 70-fold. Virus proteins were analyzed by electrophoresis on a 5 to 20% gradient polyacrylamide gel slab. After gel electrophoresis,, Coomassie brilliant blue staining profiles and autoradiograms of the purified virus preparations were compared. At least 33 virus structural protein bands were present. The molecular weights of these proteins ranged from 11,500 to 255,000. The sum of the molecular weights of the virus structural proteins was 2,462,000. Autoradiograms obtained from electrophoresis of purified [14C]glucosamine-labeled virus showed that at lease 6 of the 33 viral structural proteins were glycoproteins.     

CD8-positive T lymphocytes specific for murine cytomegalovirus immediate-early antigens mediate protective immunity.

We have shown in a murine model system for acute, lethal cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in the immunocompromised natural host that control of virus multiplication in tissues, protection from virus-caused tissue destruction, and survival are mediated by virus-specific CD8+ CD4-T lymphocytes. Protection from a lethal course of disease did not result in a rapid establishment of virus latency, but led to a long-lasting, persistent state of infection. The CD8- CD4+ subset of T lymphocytes was not effective by itself in controlling murine CMV (MCMV) multiplication in tissue or essential for the protective function of the CD8+ CD4- effector cells. The antiviral efficacy of the purified CD8+ CD4- subset was not impaired by preincubation with fibroblasts that presented viral structural antigens, but was significantly reduced after depletion of effector cells specific for the nonstructural immediate-early antigens of MCMV, which are specified by the first among a multitude of viral genes expressed during MCMV replication in permissive cells. Thus, MCMV disease provides the first example of a role for nonstructural herpesvirus immediate-early antigens in protective immunity.