Retroviral sero-reactivity in LGL leukaemia patients and family members.

T-cell large granular lymphocyte (T-LGL) leukaemia is characterized by a clonal proliferation of cytotoxic T cells and is frequently associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Sera from some LGL leukaemia patients react to a portion of the human T-cell leukaemia virus (HTLV-1/2) transmembrane envelope protein, BA21, although HTLV-1/2 infection is rare in LGL leukaemia patients. Here we show that family members, including spouses, of an LGL leukaemia patient had elevated LGL counts, BA21 reactivity and, additionally, recognition of HIV-1 gp41. Thus, both LGL leukaemia patients and clinically normal contacts sharing the same environment have evidence of exposure to a retrovirus.

Differential inhibitory effects of cyanovirin-N, griffithsin, and scytovirin on entry mediated by envelopes of gammaretroviruses and deltaretroviruses.

The antiviral lectins griffithsin (GRFT), cyanovirin-N (CV-N), and scytovirin (SVN), which inhibit several enveloped viruses, including lentiviruses, were examined for their ability to inhibit entry mediated by Env proteins of delta- and gammaretroviruses. The glycoproteins from human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) were resistant to the antiviral effects of all three lectins. For gammaretroviruses, CV-N inhibited entry mediated by some but not all of the envelopes examined, whereas GRFT and SVN displayed only little or no effect.

Crosstalk between the Smad and the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathways is Essential for Erythroid Differentiation of Erythroleukemia Cells Induced by TGF-ß, Activin, Hydroxyurea and Butyrate.

The role of crosstalk between the Smad and the MAPK signaling pathways in activin-, transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß)-, hydroxyurea (HU) - and butyrate-dependent erythroid differentiation of K562 leukemic cells was studied. Treatment with all four inducers caused transient phosphorylation of Smad2/3 and MAPK proteins including ERK, p38 and JNK. Use of specific inhibitors of p38, ERK and JNK MAPK proteins, and TGF-ß type I receptor indicated that differentiation induced by each of these agents involves activation of Smad2/3 and p38 MAPK, and inhibition of ERK MAPK. Also, treatment of cells with an inhibitor of protein serine/threonine phosphatase, okadaic acid (OA), induced phosphorylation of Smad2/3, and p38 MAPK, coincident with its induction of erythroid differentiation. Specific inhibition of TGF-ß type I receptor kinase activity not only abolished TGF-ß/activin effects but also prevented Smad2/3 activation and erythroid differentiation induced by OA, HU and butyrate. The TGF-ß type I receptor kinase inhibitor blocked OA-induced differentiation but not p38 MAPK phosphorylation demonstrating that signals from both pathways are needed. As previously observed, addition of ERK1/2 MAPK inhibitors upregulated Smad2/3 phosphorylation and enhanced differentiation, but these effects were dependent on signals from the TGF-ß type I receptor. These data indicate that activation of both Smad2/3 and p38 MAPK signaling pathways is a prerequisite to induce erythroid differentiation of erythroleukemia cells by activin, TGF-ß, HU, OA and butyrate.

A multicenter blinded analysis indicates no association between chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis and either xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus or polytropic murine leukemia virus.

The disabling disorder known as chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) has been linked in two independent studies to infection with xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) and polytropic murine leukemia virus (pMLV). Although the associations were not confirmed in subsequent studies by other investigators, patients continue to question the consensus of the scientific community in rejecting the validity of the association. Here we report blinded analysis of peripheral blood from a rigorously characterized, geographically diverse population of 147 patients with CFS/ME and 146 healthy subjects by the investigators describing the original association. This analysis reveals no evidence of either XMRV or pMLV infection. IMPORTANCE Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis has an estimated prevalence of 42/10,000 in the United States, with annual direct medical costs of $7 billion. Here, the original investigators who found XMRV and pMLV (polytropic murine leukemia virus) in blood of subjects with this disorder report that this association is not confirmed in a blinded analysis of samples from rigorously characterized subjects. The increasing frequency with which molecular methods are used for pathogen discovery poses new challenges to public health and support of science. It is imperative that strategies be developed to rapidly and coherently address discoveries so that they can be carried forward for translation to clinical medicine or abandoned to focus resource investment more productively. Our study provides a paradigm for pathogen dediscovery that may be helpful to others working in this field.

Multiple sources of contamination in samples from patients reported to have XMRV infection.

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus (MLV)-related retrovirus (XMRV) was reported to be associated with prostate cancer by Urisman, et al. in 2006 and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) by Lombardi, et al. in 2009. To investigate this association, we independently evaluated plasma samples from 4 patients with CFS reported by Lombardi, et al. to have XMRV infection and from 5 healthy controls reported to be XMRV uninfected. We also analyzed viral sequences obtained from supernatants of cell cultures found to contain XMRV after coculture with 9 clinical samples from 8 patients. A qPCR assay capable of distinguishing XMRV from endogenous MLVs showed that the viral sequences detected in the CFS patient plasma behaved like endogenous MLVs and not XMRV. Single-genome sequences (N = 89) from CFS patient plasma were indistinguishable from endogenous MLVs found in the mouse genome that are distinct from XMRV. By contrast, XMRV sequences were detected by qPCR in 2 of the 5 plasma samples from healthy controls (sequencing of the qPCR product confirmed XMRV not MLV). Single-genome sequences (N = 234) from the 9 culture supernatants reportedly positive for XMRV were indistinguishable from XMRV sequences obtained from 22Rv1 and XMRV-contaminated 293T cell-lines. These results indicate that MLV DNA detected in the plasma samples from CFS patients evaluated in this study was from contaminating mouse genomic DNA and that XMRV detected in plasma samples from healthy controls and in cultures of patient samples was due to cross-contamination with XMRV (virus or nucleic acid).

Failure to confirm XMRV/MLVs in the blood of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a multi-laboratory study.

Murine leukemia viruses (MLVs), including xenotropic-MLV-related virus (XMRV), have been controversially linked to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). To explore this issue in greater depth, we compiled coded replicate samples of blood from 15 subjects previously reported to be XMRV/MLV-positive (14 with CFS) and from 15 healthy donors previously determined to be negative for the viruses. These samples were distributed in a blinded fashion to nine laboratories, which performed assays designed to detect XMRV/MLV nucleic acid, virus replication, and antibody. Only two laboratories reported evidence of XMRV/MLVs; however, replicate sample results showed disagreement, and reactivity was similar among CFS subjects and negative controls. These results indicate that current assays do not reproducibly detect XMRV/MLV in blood samples and that blood donor screening is not warranted.

Detection of an infectious retrovirus, XMRV, in blood cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

In October 2009, we reported the first direct isolation of infectious xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV). In that study, we used a combination of biological amplification and molecular enhancement techniques to detect XMRV in more than 75% of 101 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Since our report, controversy arose after the publication of several studies that failed to detect XMRV infection in their CFS patient populations. In this addenda, we further detail the multiple detection methods we used in order to observe XMRV infection in our CFS cohort. Our results indicate that PCR from DNA of unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells is the least sensitive method for detection of XMRV in subjects' blood. We advocate the use of more than one type of assay in order to determine the frequency of XMRV infection in patient cohorts in future studies of the relevance of XMRV to human disease.

Distribution of xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) infection in chronic fatigue syndrome and prostate cancer.

In 2006, sequences described as xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) were discovered in prostate cancer patients. In October 2009, we published the first direct isolation of infectious XMRV from humans and the detection of infectious XMRV in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. In that study, a combination of classic retroviral methods were used including: DNA polymerase chain reaction and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for gag and env, full length genomic sequencing, immunoblotting for viral protein expression in activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells, passage of infectious virus in both plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells to indicator cell lines, and detection of antibodies to XMRV in plasma. A combination of these methods has since allowed us to confirm infection by XMRV in 85% of the 101 patients that were originally studied. Since 2009, seven studies, predominantly using DNA polymerase chain reaction of blood products or tumor tissue, have reported failures to detect XMRV infection in patients with either prostate cancer or chronic fatigue syndrome. A review of the current literature on XMRV supports the importance of applying multiple independent techniques in order to determine the presence of this virus. Detection methods based upon the biological and molecular amplification of XMRV, which is usually present at low levels in unstimulated blood cells and plasma, are more sensitive than assays for the virus by DNA polymerase chain reaction of unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. When we examined patient blood samples that had originally tested negative by DNA polymerase chain reaction by more sensitive methods, we observed that they were infected with XMRV; thus, the DNA polymerase chain reaction tests provided false negative results. Therefore, we conclude that molecular analyses using DNA from unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells or from whole blood are not yet sufficient as stand-alone assays for the identification of XMRV-infected individuals. Complementary methods are reviewed, that if rigorously followed, will likely show a more accurate snapshot of the actual distribution of XMRV infection in humans.

Preexisting infection with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 2 neither exacerbates nor attenuates simian immunodeficiency virus SIVmac251 infection in macaques.

Coinfection with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 2 (HTLV-2) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has been reported to have either a slowed disease course or to have no effect on progression to AIDS. In this study, we generated a coinfection animal model and investigated whether HTLV-2 could persistently infect macaques, induce a T-cell response, and impact simian immunodeficiency virus SIV(mac251)-induced disease. We found that inoculation of irradiated HTLV-2-infected T cells into Indian rhesus macaques elicited humoral and T-cell responses to HTLV-2 antigens at both systemic and mucosal sites. Low levels of HTLV-2 provirus DNA were detected in the blood, lymphoid tissues, and gastrointestinal tracts of infected animals. Exposure of HTLV-2-infected or naïve macaques to SIV(mac251) demonstrated comparable levels of SIV(mac251) viral replication, similar rates of mucosal and peripheral CD4(+) T-cell loss, and increased T-cell proliferation. Additionally, neither the magnitude nor the functional capacity of the SIV-specific T-cell-mediated immune response was different in HTLV-2/SIV(mac251) coinfected animals versus SIV(mac251) singly infected controls. Thus, HTLV-2 targets mucosal sites, persists, and importantly does not exacerbate SIV(mac251) infection. These data provide the impetus for the development of an attenuated HTLV-2-based vectored vaccine for HIV-1; this approach could elicit persistent mucosal immunity that may prevent HIV-1/SIV(mac251) infection.

Detection of an infectious retrovirus, XMRV, in blood cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating disease of unknown etiology that is estimated to affect 17 million people worldwide. Studying peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from CFS patients, we identified DNA from a human gammaretrovirus, xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV), in 68 of 101 patients (67%) as compared to 8 of 218 (3.7%) healthy controls. Cell culture experiments revealed that patient-derived XMRV is infectious and that both cell-associated and cell-free transmission of the virus are possible. Secondary viral infections were established in uninfected primary lymphocytes and indicator cell lines after their exposure to activated PBMCs, B cells, T cells, or plasma derived from CFS patients. These findings raise the possibility that XMRV may be a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of CFS.

The receptor complex associated with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 3 (HTLV-3) Env-mediated binding and entry is distinct from, but overlaps with, the receptor complexes of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2.

Little is known about the transmission or tropism of the newly discovered human retrovirus, human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 3 (HTLV-3). Here, we examine the entry requirements of HTLV-3 using independently expressed Env proteins. We observed that HTLV-3 surface glycoprotein (SU) binds efficiently to both activated CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells. This contrasts with both HTLV-1 SU, which primarily binds to activated CD4(+) T cells, and HTLV-2 SU, which primarily binds to activated CD8(+) T cells. Binding studies with heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) and neuropilin-1 (NRP-1), two molecules important for HTLV-1 entry, revealed that these molecules also enhance HTLV-3 SU binding. However, unlike HTLV-1 SU, HTLV-3 SU can bind efficiently in the absence of both HSPGs and NRP-1. Studies of entry performed with HTLV-3 Env-pseudotyped viruses together with SU binding studies revealed that, for HTLV-1, glucose transporter 1 (GLUT-1) functions at a postbinding step during HTLV-3 Env-mediated entry. Further studies revealed that HTLV-3 SU binds efficiently to naive CD4(+) T cells, which do not bind either HTLV-1 or HTLV-2 SU and do not express detectable levels of HSPGs, NRP-1, and GLUT-1. These results indicate that the complex of receptor molecules used by HTLV-3 to bind to primary T lymphocytes differs from that of both HTLV-1 and HTLV-2.

HTLV-1 uses HSPG and neuropilin-1 for entry by molecular mimicry of VEGF165.

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) entry involves the interaction between the surface (SU) subunit of the Env proteins and cellular receptor(s). Previously, our laboratories demonstrated that heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) and neuropilin-1 (NRP-1), a receptor of VEGF(165), are essential for HTLV-1 entry. Here we investigated whether, as when binding VEGF(165), HSPGs and NRP-1 work in concert during HTLV-1 entry. VEGF(165) binds to the b domain of NRP-1 through both HSPG-dependent and -independent interactions, the latter involving its exon 8. We show that VEGF(165) is a selective competitor of HTLV-1 entry and that HTLV-1 mimics VEGF(165) to recruit HSPGs and NRP-1: (1) the NRP-1 b domain is required for HTLV-1 binding; (2) SU binding to target cells is blocked by the HSPG-binding domain of VEGF(165); (3) the formation of Env/NRP-1 complexes is enhanced by HSPGs; and (4) the HTLV SU contains a motif homologous to VEGF(165) exon 8. This motif directly binds to NRP-1 and is essential for HTLV-1 binding to, internalization into, and infection of CD4(+) T cells and dendritic cells. These findings demonstrate that HSPGs and NRP-1 function as HTLV-1 receptors in a cooperative manner and reveal an unexpected mimicry mechanism that may have major implications in vivo.

Cell-free HTLV-1 infects dendritic cells leading to transmission and transformation of CD4(+) T cells.

Cell-free human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) virions are poorly infectious in vitro for their primary target cells, CD4(+) T cells. Here, we show that HTLV-1 can efficiently infect myeloid and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DCs). Moreover, DCs exposed to HTLV-1, both before and after being productively infected, can rapidly, efficiently and reproducibly transfer virus to autologous primary CD4(+) T cells. This DC-mediated transfer of HTLV-1 involves heparan sulfate proteoglycans and neuropilin-1 and results in long-term productive infection and interleukin-2-independent transformation of the CD4(+) T cells. These studies, along with observations of HTLV-1-infected DCs in the peripheral blood of infected individuals, indicate that DCs have a central role in HTLV-1 transmission, dissemination and persistence in vivo. In addition to altering the current paradigm concerning how HTLV-1 transmission occurs, these studies suggest that impairment of DC function after HTLV-1 infection plays a part in pathogenesis.

Levels of Smad7 regulate Smad and mitogen activated kinases (MAPKs) signaling and controls erythroid and megakaryocytic differentiation of erythroleukemia cells.

Smad and MAPK signaling cascades are involved in erythroid and megakaryocytic differentiation. The inhibitory Smad for TGF-beta/activin signaling, Smad7, may directly or indirectly affect these signaling pathways. By modulating Smad7 expression, we attempted to delineate the relevance of Smad7 during erythro-megakaryocytic (E/M) differentiation of human erythroleukemia cells. Smad7 transcripts were detected at low levels in different erythroleukemia cell lines (TF-1, HEL and K562). Reduction of expression of endogenous Smad7 by RNA interference enhanced erythroid differentiation of K562 cells in response to physiological doses of activin-A/TGF-beta1. Stable over-expression of Smad7 in K562 cells (K562/7) prevented activation of Smad2/3 and MAPK (ERK1/2, p38 and JNK1/2) proteins by activin-A/TGF-beta1 and subsequent induction of erythroid differentiation. High levels of Smad7 also interfered with hydroxyurea- and butyrate-, but not hemin-induced erythroid differentiation. Interestingly, K562/7 cells were found to harbor a significant proportion (about 35%) of large ploy nucleated cells compared to fewer than 12% in control cells. K562/7 cells treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), showed a great shift in ploidy towards high ploidy classes (> or =8N) accompanied with an increase in the expression of the maturation marker CD42b. We showed here that: (a) low levels of endogenous Smad7 in erythroleukemia cells are physiologically relevant, and (b) high levels of Smad7 interferes with TGF-beta/activin-induced Smad/MAPK signaling and erythro-differentiation and promotes megakaryocytic differentiation, possibly by blocking autocrine TGF-beta.

GLUT1 is not the primary binding receptor but is associated with cell-to-cell transmission of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1.

GLUT1 has recently been suggested to be a binding receptor for human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). We used a novel, short-term assay to define the role of GLUT1 in cell-to-cell transmission. Although increasing cell surface levels of GLUT1 enhanced HTLV-I transfer, efficient virus spread correlated largely with heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) expression on target cells. Moreover, since activated CD4+ T cells and cord blood lymphocytes that are susceptible to HTLV-1 infection expressed undetectable levels of surface GLUT1, these results indicate that GLUT1 and HSPGs are important for efficient cell-to-cell transmission of HTLV-1 but raise concerns on the role of GLUT1 as the HTLV-1 primary binding receptor.

K-Ras4B proteins are expressed in the nucleolus: Interaction with nucleolin.

Kirsten Ras4B (K-Ras4B) is a potent onco-protein that is expressed in the majority of human cell types and is frequently mutated in carcinomas. K-Ras4B, like other members of the Ras family of proteins, is considered to be a cytoplasmic protein that must be localized to the plasma membrane for activation. Here, using confocal microscopy and biochemical analysis, we show that K-Ras4B, but not H-Ras or the closely related K-Ras4A, is also present in the nucleoli of normal and transformed cells. Subcellular fractionation and immunostaining show that K-Ras4B is located not only in the cytoplasm, but also in the nucleolar compartment. Modification of a C-terminal hexa-lysine motif unique to K-Ras4B results in exclusively cytoplasmic forms of the protein. Nucleolin, a pleiotropic regulator of cellular processes, including transcriptional regulation, is also characterized by a nucleolar-like nuclear appearance. We show that K-Ras4B and nucleolin co-localize within the nucleus and that nucleolin physically associates with K-Ras4B. Inhibition of K-Ras4B/nucleolin association blocked nucleolar localization of K-Ras4B. Using siRNA to knockdown the expression of nucleolin eliminated the nucleolar localization of K-Ras4B and significantly repressed the activation of the well-characterized K-Ras4B transcriptional target Ap-1, but stimulated Elk1. These data provide evidence of a nucleolar localization of K-Ras4B and describe a functional association between K-Ras4B and nucleolin.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and HTLV-2 use different receptor complexes to enter T cells.

Studies using adherent cell lines have shown that glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) can function as a receptor for human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV). In primary CD4(+) T cells, heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are required for efficient entry of HTLV-1. Here, the roles of HSPGs and GLUT-1 in HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 Env-mediated binding and entry into primary T cells were studied. Examination of the cell surface of activated primary T cells revealed that CD4(+) T cells, the primary target of HTLV-1, expressed significantly higher levels of HSPGs than CD8(+) T cells. Conversely, CD8(+) T cells, the primary target of HTLV-2, expressed GLUT-1 at dramatically higher levels than CD4(+) T cells. Under these conditions, the HTLV-2 surface glycoprotein (SU) binding and viral entry were markedly higher on CD8(+) T cells while HTLV-1 SU binding and viral entry were higher on CD4(+) T cells. Binding studies with HTLV-1/HTLV-2 SU recombinants showed that preferential binding to CD4(+) T cells expressing high levels of HSPGs mapped to the C-terminal portion of SU. Transfection studies revealed that overexpression of GLUT-1 in CD4(+) T cells increased HTLV-2 entry, while expression of HSPGs on CD8(+) T cells increased entry of HTLV-1. These studies demonstrate that HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 differ in their T-cell entry requirements and suggest that the differences in the in vitro cellular tropism for transformation and in vivo pathobiology of these viruses reflect different interactions between their Env proteins and molecules on CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells involved in entry.

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans mediate attachment and entry of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 virions into CD4+ T cells.

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are used by a number of viruses to facilitate entry into host cells. For the retrovirus human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), it has recently been reported that HSPGs are critical for efficient binding of soluble HTLV-1 SU and the entry of HTLV pseudotyped viruses into non-T cells. However, the primary in vivo targets of HTLV-1, CD4(+) T cells, have been reported to express low or undetectable levels of HSPGs. For this study, we reexamined the expression of HSPGs in CD4(+) T cells and examined their role in HTLV-1 attachment and entry. We observed that while quiescent primary CD4(+) T cells do not express detectable levels of HSPGs, HSPGs are expressed on primary CD4(+) T cells following immune activation. Enzymatic modification of HSPGs on the surfaces of either established CD4(+) T-cell lines or primary CD4(+) T cells dramatically reduced the binding of both soluble HTLV-1 SU and HTLV-1 virions. HSPGs also affected the efficiency of HTLV-1 entry, since blocking the interaction with HSPGs markedly reduced both the internalization of HTLV-1 virions and the titer of HTLV-1 pseudotyped viral infection in CD4(+) T cells. Thus, HSPGs play a critical role in the binding and entry of HTLV-1 into CD4(+) T cells.