ABSTRACT
In mammalian somatic cells, the relative contribution of RNAi and the type I interferon response during viral infection is unclear. The apparent inefficiency of antiviral RNAi might be due to self-limiting properties and mitigating co-factors of the key enzyme Dicer. In particular, the helicase domain of human Dicer appears to be an important restriction factor of its activity. Here, we study the involvement of several helicase-truncated mutants of human Dicer in the antiviral response. All deletion mutants display a PKR-dependent antiviral phenotype against certain viruses, and one of them, Dicer N1, acts in a completely RNAi-independent manner. Transcriptomic analyses show that many genes from the interferon and inflammatory response pathways are upregulated in Dicer N1 expressing cells. We show that some of these genes are controlled by NF-kB and that blocking this pathway abrogates the antiviral phenotype of Dicer N1. Our findings highlight the crosstalk between Dicer, PKR, and the NF-kB pathway, and suggest that human Dicer may have repurposed its helicase domain to prevent basal activation of antiviral and inflammatory pathways.
Subject(s)
DEAD-box RNA Helicases , Interferon Type I , NF-kappa B , RNA Virus Infections , Ribonuclease III , Animals , Humans , NF-kappa B/genetics , RNA Interference , DEAD-box RNA Helicases/chemistry , DEAD-box RNA Helicases/genetics , DEAD-box RNA Helicases/metabolism , Ribonuclease III/chemistry , Ribonuclease III/genetics , Ribonuclease III/metabolism , RNA Virus Infections/enzymologyABSTRACT
In immunity and inflammation, T cells are often associated with stromal mesenchymal cells such as fibroblasts. Hyaluronan and proteins that associate with hyaluronan such as versican and tumor necrosis factor-inducible gene-6 (TSG-6) are extracellular matrix (ECM) components that promote leukocyte adhesion, accumulation, and activation. However, the factors responsible for producing this specialized ECM and its impact on inflammatory events are not well understood. In this study, we explored the role of T cells in stimulating lung fibroblasts to produce an ECM that impacts monocyte adhesion. We found that CD3/CD28-activated human CD4+ T cells when co-cultured with human lung fibroblasts stimulated the expression of mRNA for hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) and decreased the expression of hyaluronidase 2 (HYAL2). This led to an increase in the deposition of hyaluronan that formed cable-like structures within the ECM. Co-culturing activated T cells with fibroblasts also led to increased expression and accumulation of TSG-6. Surprisingly, addition of activated CD4+ T cells to the fibroblasts reduced the expression of mRNA for versican, and increased the expression of enzymes that degrade versican, such as ADAMTS4 and ADAMTS9 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type-1 motif) leading to a decrease in versican in the ECM of the co-cultures. Furthermore, addition of human monocytes to these co-cultures resulted in elevated monocyte adhesion to the cable-like structures in the ECM when compared to controls. These results illustrate the importance of crosstalk between T cells and fibroblasts in promoting the generation of a matrix that is adhesive for monocytes. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 2118-2130, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Subject(s)
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Extracellular Matrix/immunology , Fibroblasts/immunology , Hyaluronic Acid/biosynthesis , Monocytes/immunology , Versicans/biosynthesis , ADAMTS4 Protein/genetics , ADAMTS4 Protein/immunology , ADAMTS9 Protein/genetics , ADAMTS9 Protein/immunology , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/cytology , Cell Adhesion , Cell Adhesion Molecules/genetics , Cell Adhesion Molecules/immunology , Cell Communication , Coculture Techniques , Extracellular Matrix/metabolism , Fibroblasts/cytology , GPI-Linked Proteins/genetics , GPI-Linked Proteins/immunology , Gene Expression Regulation , Glucuronosyltransferase/genetics , Glucuronosyltransferase/immunology , Humans , Hyaluronan Synthases , Hyaluronic Acid/immunology , Hyaluronoglucosaminidase/genetics , Hyaluronoglucosaminidase/immunology , Lung/cytology , Lung/immunology , Lymphocyte Activation , Monocytes/cytology , Primary Cell Culture , Signal Transduction , Versicans/immunologyABSTRACT
HERV-K(HML-2), the youngest clade of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), includes many intact or nearly intact proviruses, but no replication competent HML-2 proviruses have been identified in humans. HML-2-related proviruses are present in other primates, including rhesus macaques, but the extent and timing of HML-2 activity in macaques remains unclear. We have identified 145 HML-2-like proviruses in rhesus macaques, including a clade of young, rhesus-specific insertions. Age estimates, intact ORFs, and insertional polymorphism of these insertions are consistent with recent or ongoing infectious activity in macaques. 106 of the proviruses form a clade characterized by an ~750 bp sequence between env and the 3' LTR, derived from an ancient recombination with a HERV-K(HML-8)-related virus. This clade is found in Old World monkeys (OWM), but not great apes, suggesting it originated after the ape/OWM split. We identified similar proviruses in white-cheeked gibbons; the gibbon insertions cluster within the OWM recombinant clade, suggesting interspecies transmission from OWM to gibbons. The LTRs of the youngest proviruses have deletions in U3, which disrupt the Rec Response Element (RcRE), required for nuclear export of unspliced viral RNA. We show that the HML-8 derived region functions as a Rec-independent constitutive transport element (CTE), indicating the ancestral Rec-RcRE export system was replaced by a CTE mechanism.
ABSTRACT
Many viruses block host gene expression to take over the infected cell. This process, termed host shutoff, is thought to promote viral replication by preventing antiviral responses and redirecting cellular resources to viral processes. Several viruses from divergent families accomplish host shutoff through RNA degradation by endoribonucleases. However, viruses also need to ensure expression of their own genes. The influenza A virus endoribonuclease PA-X solves this problem by sparing viral mRNAs and some host RNAs necessary for viral replication. To understand how PA-X distinguishes between RNAs, we characterized PA-X cut sites transcriptome-wide using 5' rapid amplification of complementary DNA ends coupled to high-throughput sequencing. This analysis, along with RNA structure predictions and validation experiments using reporters, shows that PA-Xs from multiple influenza strains preferentially cleave RNAs at GCUG tetramers in hairpin loops. Importantly, GCUG tetramers are enriched in the human but not the influenza transcriptome. Moreover, optimal PA-X cut sites inserted in the influenza A virus genome are quickly selected against during viral replication in cells. This finding suggests that PA-X evolved these cleavage characteristics to preferentially target host over viral mRNAs in a manner reminiscent of cellular self versus non-self discrimination.
Subject(s)
Influenza A virus , Influenza, Human , Humans , Influenza A virus/physiology , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Viral Nonstructural Proteins/genetics , Host-Pathogen Interactions , Endoribonucleases/metabolismABSTRACT
Many viruses induce shutoff of host gene expression (host shutoff) as a strategy to take over cellular machinery and evade host immunity. Without host shutoff activity, these viruses generally replicate poorly in vivo, attesting to the importance of this antiviral strategy. In this review, we discuss one particularly advantageous way for viruses to induce host shutoff: triggering widespread host messenger RNA (mRNA) decay. Viruses can trigger increased mRNA destruction either directly, by encoding RNA cleaving or decapping enzymes, or indirectly, by activating cellular RNA degradation pathways. We review what is known about the mechanism of action of several viral RNA degradation factors. We then discuss the consequences of widespread RNA degradation on host gene expression and on the mechanisms of immune evasion, highlighting open questions. Answering these questions is critical to understanding how viral RNA degradation factors regulate host gene expression and how this process helps viruses evade host responses and replicate.
Subject(s)
RNA, Viral , Viruses , Antiviral Agents , Gene Expression , Host-Pathogen Interactions/genetics , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Viral/genetics , Virus Replication , Viruses/genetics , Viruses/metabolismABSTRACT
Recent outbreaks of Ebola virus (EBOV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have exposed our limited therapeutic options for such diseases and our poor understanding of the cellular mechanisms that block viral infections. Using a transposon-mediated gene-activation screen in human cells, we identify that the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II transactivator (CIITA) has antiviral activity against EBOV. CIITA induces resistance by activating expression of the p41 isoform of invariant chain CD74, which inhibits viral entry by blocking cathepsin-mediated processing of the Ebola glycoprotein. We further show that CD74 p41 can block the endosomal entry pathway of coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. These data therefore implicate CIITA and CD74 in host defense against a range of viruses, and they identify an additional function of these proteins beyond their canonical roles in antigen presentation.
Subject(s)
Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte/physiology , Betacoronavirus/physiology , Coronavirus Infections/immunology , Ebolavirus/physiology , Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/immunology , Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/physiology , Host-Pathogen Interactions/immunology , Nuclear Proteins/physiology , Pneumonia, Viral/immunology , Trans-Activators/physiology , Virus Internalization , Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte/genetics , COVID-19 , Cell Line, Tumor , Coronavirus Infections/virology , DNA Transposable Elements , Endosomes/virology , Genetic Testing , Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/virology , Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/genetics , Host-Pathogen Interactions/genetics , Humans , Nuclear Proteins/genetics , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/virology , SARS-CoV-2 , Trans-Activators/genetics , Transcription, GeneticABSTRACT
Many viruses shut off host gene expression to inhibit antiviral responses. Viral proteins and host proteins required for viral replication are typically spared in this process, but the mechanisms of target selectivity during host shutoff remain poorly understood. Using transcriptome-wide and targeted reporter experiments, we demonstrate that the influenza A virus endoribonuclease PA-X usurps RNA splicing to selectively target host RNAs for destruction. Proximity-labeling proteomics reveals that PA-X interacts with cellular RNA processing proteins, some of which are partially required for host shutoff. Thus, PA-X taps into host nuclear pre-mRNA processing mechanisms to destroy nascent mRNAs shortly after their synthesis. This mechanism sets PA-X apart from other viral host shutoff proteins that target actively translating mRNAs in the cytoplasm. Our study reveals a unique mechanism of host shutoff that helps us understand how influenza viruses suppress host gene expression.