Identification of proteins in human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) particles: the HCMV proteome

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a member of the herpesvirus family, is a large complex enveloped virus composed of both viral and cellular gene products. While the sequence of the HCMV genome has been known for over a decade, the full set of viral and cellular proteins that compose the HCMV virion are unknown. To approach this problem we have utilized gel-free two-dimensional capillary liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance MS to identify and determine the relative abundances of viral and cellular proteins in purified HCMV AD169 virions and dense bodies. Analysis of the proteins from purified HCMV virion preparations has indicated that the particle contains significantly more viral proteins than previously known. In this study, we identified 71 HCMV-encoded proteins that included 12 proteins encoded by known viral open reading frames (ORFs) previously not associated with virions and 12 proteins from novel viral ORFs. Analysis of the relative abundance of HCMV proteins indicated that the predominant virion protein was the pp65 tegument protein and that gM rather than gB was the most abundant glycoprotein. We have also identified over 70 host cellular proteins in HCMV virions, which include cellular structural proteins, enzymes, and chaperones. In addition, analysis of HCMV dense bodies indicated that these viral particles are composed of 29 viral proteins with a reduced quantity of cellular proteins in comparison to HCMV virions. This study provides the first comprehensive quantitative analysis of the viral and cellular proteins that compose infectious particles of a large complex virus.     

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) UL82 gene product (pp71) relieves hDaxx-mediated repression of HCMV replication

This study examines the role of the cellular protein hDaxx in controlling human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) immediate-early (IE) gene expression and viral replication. Using permissive cell lines that either overexpress hDaxx or are depleted of hDaxx expression by the use of short hairpin RNA, we demonstrate that hDaxx functions as a repressor of HCMV IE gene expression and replication. In addition, we demonstrate that the impaired growth phenotype associated with the UL82 (pp71) deletion mutant is abolished when hDaxx knockdown cells are infected, suggesting that pp71 functions to relieve hDaxx-mediated repression during HCMV infection.     

Differentiation of a murine intestinal epithelial cell line (MIE) toward the M cell lineage

M cells are a kind of intestinal epithelial cell in the follicle-associated epithelium of Peyer's patches. These cells can transport antigens and microorganisms into underlying lymphoid tissues. Despite the important role of M cells in mucosal immune responses, the origin and mechanisms of differentiation as well as cell death of M cells remain unclear. To clarify the mechanism of M cell differentiation, we established a novel murine intestinal epithelial cell line (MIE) from the C57BL/6 mouse. MIE cells grow rapidly and have a cobblestone morphology, which is a typical feature of intestinal epithelial cells. Additionally, they express cytokeratin, villin, cell-cell junctional proteins, and alkaline phosphatase activity and can form microvilli. Their expression of Musashi-1 antigen indicates that they may be close to intestinal stem cells or transit-amplifying cells. MIE cells are able to differentiate into the M cell lineage following coculture with intestinal lymphocytes, but not with Peyer's patch lymphocytes (PPL). However, PPL costimulated with anti-CD3/CD28 MAbs caused MIE cells to display typical features of M cells, such as transcytosis activity, the disorganization of microvilli, and the expression of M cell markers. This transcytosis activity of MIE cells was not induced by T cells isolated from PPL costimulated with the same MAbs and was reduced by the depletion of the T cell population from PPL. A mixture of T cells treated with MAbs and B cells both from PPL led MIE cells to differentiate into M cells. We report here that MIE cells have the potential ability to differentiate into M cells and that this differentiation required activated T cells and B cells.     

The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) tegument protein UL94 is essential for secondary envelopment of HCMV virions

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) virions are structurally complex, and the mechanisms by which they are assembled are poorly understood. However, several tegument proteins are known to be essential for proper particle assembly and maturation. Despite intense investigation, the function of many tegument proteins remains unknown. The HCMV UL94 gene is conserved among all herpesviruses and encodes a virion protein of unknown function. We demonstrate here that UL94 is a tegument protein that is expressed with true-late kinetics and localizes to the viral assembly complex during infection. To elucidate the function of UL94, we constructed a UL94-null mutant, designated UL94stop. This mutant is completely defective for replication, demonstrating that UL94 is essential. Phenotypic analysis of the UL94stop mutant shows that in the absence of UL94, viral gene expression and genome synthesis occur at wild-type levels. However, analysis of the localization of viral proteins to the cytoplasmic assembly complex shows that the essential tegument protein UL99 (pp28) exhibits aberrant localization in cells infected with the UL94stop mutant. Finally, we show that there is a complete block in secondary envelopment in the absence of UL94. Taken together, our data suggest that UL94 functions late in infection to direct UL99 to the assembly complex, thereby facilitating secondary envelopment of virions.     

应用载体介导的RNAi技术抑制HCMV的UL49基因表达

为了研究RNA干涉抑制HCMV UL49基因的作用,以pLXSN(U6启动子)为模板通过两步PCR的方法扩增含U6启动子的siRNA表达片段,并通过TA克隆将siRNA表达片段克隆到pMD18-T载体构建成siRNA表达质粒,同时以人巨细胞病毒AD169病毒株基因组为模板PCR扩增UL49基因,将其克隆到pEGFP-N1构建融合质粒pEGFP-UL49。通过脂质体介导将siRNA表达质粒和pEGFP-UL49质粒共转染人宫颈癌细胞系HeLa,在荧光显微镜下观察RNA干涉结果。通过这种方法得到具有介导RNA干涉的siRNA片段,为UL49基因沉默研究提供技术基础。     

献血员巨细胞病毒感染的研究

用ＰＣＲ法和ＤＮＡ杂交法检测同一献血员的白细胞及血清中的ＨＣＭＶ－ＤＮＡ,并用ＥＬＩＳＡ法检测血清中的ＨＣＭＶ－ＩｇＭ、ＩｇＧ（测四个不度）,连续两年共检测白细胞和血清样本各２００人份。ＰＣＲ法检测白细胞中的ＨＣＭＶ－ＤＮＡ阳性率分别为６３％和７０％,ＤＮＡ杂交法检测的阳性率为４２％和５０％。ＰＣＲ法检测血清中的ＨＣＭＶ－ＤＮＡ的阳性率为４９％和５３％,ＤＮＡ杂交法检测的阳性率为３３％和３９％。Ｈ     

献血员巨细胞病毒感染的研究

用PCR法和DNA杂交法检测同一献血员的白细胞及血清中的HCMV-DNA,并用ELISA法检测血清中的HCMV-IgM、IgG(测四个滴度),连续两年共检测白细胞和血清样本各200人份.PCR法检测白细胞中的HCMV-DNA阳性率分别为63%和70%,DNA杂交法检测的阳性率为42%和50%.PCR法检测血清中的HCMV-DNA的阳性率为49%和53%,DNA杂交法检测的阳性率为33%和39%.HCMV-IgM阳性率两年均为5%.HCMV-IgG阳性率分别为54%和58%.     

Induction of neutralizing antibody against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) with DNA-mediated immunization of HCMV glycoprotein B in mice.

Immunization was accomplished by inoculating pcGB containing human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) glycoprotein B (gB) gene into BALB/c mice intramuscularly. IgM antibody was detected in all the immunized group. IgG antibody was also found in all the tested mice with a mean peak antibody titer of 1:262 in three-times immunized groups. IgG antibody appeared at 2 weeks postinoculation, raised peak levels at 7 weeks postinoculation and persisted over 6 months. Neutralizing antibody was developed, and the percent reduction of input infectivity in 1:100 diluted sera was 74.5 % in three-times immunized groups. This study suggested that DNA vaccine using the gene encoding HCMV gB is a candidate method for developing immunity to HCMV.     

Benzothiopyran-4-one based reversible inhibitors of the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) protease

A novel class of CMV protease inhibitors based on a benzothiopyran-S,S-dioxide nucleus has been discovered. Enzyme kinetic data supports a reversible mode of inhibition for a representative member of this class, 2-(3-pyridyl-N-oxide)benzothiopyran-4-one-S,S-dioxide, 1. Experiments in the presence and absence of the disulfide reducing agent DTT suggest that the inhibition by 1 is not due to oxidative inactivation of the enzyme. Also presented are results of some SAR studies of the benzothiopyranone ring system.     

The immediate early 2 protein of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) mediates the apoptotic control in HCMV retinitis through up-regulation of the cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein expression

Human CMV (HCMV) is a widespread human pathogen that causes blindness by inducing retinitis in AIDS patients. Previously, we showed that viral immediate early 2 (IE2) protein may allow HCMV to evade the immune control by killing the Fas receptor-positive T lymphocytes attracted to the infected retina with increased secretion of Fas ligand (FasL). In this study, we further demonstrate that the secreted FasL also kills uninfected Fas-rich bystander retinal cells and that IE2 simultaneously protects the infected cells from undergoing apoptotic death, in part, by activating the expression of cellular FLIP (c-FLIP), an antiapoptotic molecule that blocks the direct downstream executer caspase 8 of the FasL/Fas pathway. c-FLIP induction requires the N-terminal 98 residues of IE2 and the c-FLIP promoter region spanning nucleotides -978 to -696. In vivo association of IE2 to this region, IE2-specific c-FLIP activation, and decrease of FasL-up-regulated activities of caspases 8 and 3 were all demonstrated in HCMV-infected human retinal cells. Moreover, c-FLIP up-regulation by IE2 appeared to involve PI3K and might also render cells resistant to TRAIL-mediated death. Finally, enhanced c-FLIP signals were immunohistochemically detected in IE-positive cells in the HCMV-infected lesions of the human retina. Taken together, these data demonstrate specific activation of c-FLIP by HCMV IE2 and indicate a novel role for c-FLIP in the pathogenesis of HCMV retinitis.     

腺病毒介导的人巨细胞病毒UL49基因小鼠模型的建立

建立表达HCMV UL49 基因的转基因小鼠,为抗病毒药物研究提供有效的实验动物模型。本实验将UL49-GFP基因插入腺病毒穿梭质粒pDC316中,构建重组质粒pDC316-UL49-GFP,与腺病毒骨架质粒pBHGloxΔE1,3Cre 通过脂质体介导共转染293 细胞,重组产生腺病毒Ad-UL49-GFP, 经PCR和Western Blot鉴定正确后,大量扩增、纯化,制备高滴度重组腺病毒。纯化腺病毒经尾静脉注射感染小鼠,通过荧光定量PCR 和Western blot 方法,检测UL49 基因在小鼠体内组织分布和表达时相。结果显示UL49基因在小鼠的心、肝、脾、肺、肾组织均有表达,并且表达量由高到低顺序依次是：肝、脾、肾、心、肺,在腺病毒感染第3天在各靶器官表达水平较高,此后逐渐下降,第14天时仅存在肝和脾中。表明表达UL49基因的小鼠模型构建成功。小鼠模型的成功建立为下一步筛选以UL49基因为靶的抗病毒药物奠定了基础。     

应用复合增强剂扩增人巨细胞病毒pp65全基因

在PCR过程中 ,模板GC含量过高是一个不利因素。如果设计扩增片段较长 ,则进一步增加了PCR扩增的难度。解决这一问题对于以PCR成功获取富含GC的长基因有非常重要的意义。以人巨细胞病毒pp65全基因 (约 1 95 0bp ,GC %为 67%)为例 ,在PCR系统中测试不同添加剂(甘油、乙醇、DMSO、甜菜碱等 )及各种组合 ,摸索扩增目的基因的最佳条件。结果发现 :无或单一的添加剂都不能获得目的基因片段 ,只有当同时使用DMSO和甜菜碱 ,并在适当浓度时才能够获得特异产物。在PCR系统中包含复合增强剂能有助于高GC %、长基因片段的扩增 ,为解决此类问题提供了一种有效的途径。     

Preparation of P52 recombinant antigenic protein from human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)

Analysis of published reports helped us single out the most potent antigens among HCMV proteins: phosphoproteins pp150(UL32) and p52(UL44). Theoretical computer analysis of p52 epitopes showed the main antigenic determinants not cross-reacting with antigens of other viruses. Virus-containing (strain AD169) material was obtained and genome DNA was isolated. Amplification of a site of gene UL44 coding for unique determinants detected a PCR fragment of required electrophoretic mobility. The fragment was cloned in vector pLBE. The specificity of cloning was confirmed by restriction analysis of theoretical sites. Nucleotide sequence of cloned fragment of UL44 gene was studied by Maxam-Gilbert's method. Cloning in expressing bacterial vectors helped obtain HCMV recombinant protein p52 in the pure form and fused with beta-galactosidase. Enzyme immunoassay with HCMV-positive and negative donor sera and ABBOTT HCMV sera showed that recombinant p52 increased the sensitivity and specificity of a previously obtained recombinant pp150 as an antigen to HCMV-IgG and HCMV-IgM. The sensitivity and specificity is 100% with 98-99% reliability.