Pseudorabies virus hijacks the Rab6 protein to promote viral assembly and egress.

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is recognized as the aetiological agent responsible for Aujeszky's disease, or pseudorabies, in swine populations. Rab6, a member of the small GTPase family, is implicated in various membrane trafficking processes, particularly exocytosis regulation. Its involvement in PRV infection, however, has not been documented previously. In our study, we observed a significant increase in the Rab6 mRNA and protein levels in both PK-15 porcine kidney epithelial cells and porcine alveolar macrophages, as well as in the lungs and spleens of mice infected with PRV. The overexpression of wild-type Rab6 and its GTP-bound mutant facilitated PRV proliferation, whereas the GDP-bound mutant form of Rab6 had no effect on viral propagation. These findings indicated that the GTPase activity of Rab6 was crucial for the successful spread of PRV. Further investigations revealed that the reduction in Rab6 levels through knockdown significantly hampered PRV proliferation and disrupted virus assembly and egress. At the molecular level, Rab6 was found to interact with the PRV glycoproteins gB and gE, both of which are essential for viral assembly and egress. Our results collectively suggest that PRV exploits Rab6 to expedite its assembly and egress and identify Rab6 as a promising novel target for therapeutic treatment for PRV infection.

Pseudorabies virus manipulates mitochondrial tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase 2 for viral replication.

The pseudorabies virus (PRV) is identified as a double-helical DNA virus responsible for causing Aujeszky's disease, which results in considerable economic impacts globally. The enzyme tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase 2 (WARS2), a mitochondrial protein involved in protein synthesis, is recognized for its broad expression and vital role in the translation process. The findings of our study showed an increase in both mRNA and protein levels of WARS2 following PRV infection in both cell cultures and animal models. Suppressing WARS2 expression via RNA interference in PK-15 â€‹cells led to a reduction in PRV infection rates, whereas enhancing WARS2 expression resulted in increased infection rates. Furthermore, the activation of WARS2 in response to PRV was found to be reliant on the cGAS/STING/TBK1/IRF3 signaling pathway and the interferon-alpha receptor-1, highlighting its regulation via the type I interferon signaling pathway. Further analysis revealed that reducing WARS2 levels hindered PRV's ability to promote protein and lipid synthesis. Our research provides novel evidence that WARS2 facilitates PRV infection through its management of protein and lipid levels, presenting new avenues for developing preventative and therapeutic measures against PRV infections.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus 2 hijacks CMA-mediated lipolysis through upregulation of small GTPase RAB18.

RAB GTPases (RABs) control intracellular membrane trafficking with high precision. In the present study, we carried out a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) screen focused on a library of 62 RABs during infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus 2 (PRRSV-2), a member of the family Arteriviridae. We found that 13 RABs negatively affect the yield of PRRSV-2 progeny virus, whereas 29 RABs have a positive impact on the yield of PRRSV-2 progeny virus. Further analysis revealed that PRRSV-2 infection transcriptionally regulated RAB18 through RIG-I/MAVS-mediated canonical NF-κB activation. Disrupting RAB18 expression led to the accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs), impaired LDs catabolism, and flawed viral replication and assembly. We also discovered that PRRSV-2 co-opts chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) for lipolysis via RAB18, as indicated by the enhanced associations between RAB18 and perlipin 2 (PLIN2), CMA-specific lysosomal associated membrane protein 2A (LAMP2A), and heat shock protein family A (Hsp70) member 8 (HSPA8/HSC70) during PRRSV-2 infection. Knockdown of HSPA8 and LAMP2A impacted on the yield of PRRSV-2 progeny virus, implying that the virus utilizes RAB18 to promote CMA-mediated lipolysis. Importantly, we determined that the C-terminal domain (CTD) of HSPA8 could bind to the switch II domain of RAB18, and the CTD of PLIN2 was capable of associating with HSPA8, suggesting that HSPA8 facilitates the interaction between RAB18 and PLIN2 in the CMA process. In summary, our findings elucidate how PRRSV-2 hijacks CMA-mediated lipid metabolism through innate immune activation to enhance the yield of progeny virus, offering novel insights for the development of anti-PRRSV-2 treatments.

Pseudorabies virus inhibits progesterone-induced inactivation of TRPML1 to facilitate viral entry.

Viral infection is a significant risk factor for fertility issues. Here, we demonstrated that infection by neurotropic alphaherpesviruses, such as pseudorabies virus (PRV), could impair female fertility by disrupting the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis (HPOA), reducing progesterone (P4) levels, and consequently lowering pregnancy rates. Our study revealed that PRV exploited the transient receptor potential mucolipin 1 (TRPML1) and its lipid activator, phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate (PI(3,5)P2), to facilitate viral entry through lysosomal cholesterol and Ca2+. P4 antagonized this process by inducing lysosomal storage disorders and promoting the proteasomal degradation of TRPML1 via murine double minute 2 (MDM2)-mediated polyubiquitination. Overall, the study identifies a novel mechanism by which PRV hijacks the lysosomal pathway to evade P4-mediated antiviral defense and impair female fertility. This mechanism may be common among alphaherpesviruses and could contribute significantly to their impact on female reproductive health, providing new insights for the development of antiviral therapies.

Pseudorabies virus upregulates low-density lipoprotein receptors to facilitate viral entry.

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is the causative agent of Aujeszky's disease in pigs. The low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) is a transcriptional target of the sterol-regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) and participates in the uptake of LDL-derived cholesterol. However, the involvement of LDLR in PRV infection has not been well characterized. We observed an increased expression level of LDLR mRNA in PRV-infected 3D4/21, PK-15, HeLa, RAW264.7, and L929 cells. The LDLR protein level was also upregulated by PRV infection in PK-15 cells and in murine lung and brain. The treatment of cells with the SREBP inhibitor, fatostatin, or with SREBP2-specific small interfering RNA prevented the PRV-induced upregulation of LDLR expression as well as viral protein expression and progeny virus production. This suggested that PRV activated SREBPs to induce LDLR expression. Furthermore, interference in LDLR expression affected PRV proliferation, while LDLR overexpression promoted it. This indicated that LDLR was involved in PRV infection. The study also demonstrated that LDLR participated in PRV invasions. The overexpression of LDLR or inhibition of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), which binds to LDLR and targets it for lysosomal degradation, significantly enhanced PRV attachment and entry. Mechanistically, LDLR interacted with PRV on the plasma membrane, and pretreatment of cells with LDLR antibodies was able to neutralize viral entry. An in vivo study indicated that the treatment of mice with the PCSK9 inhibitor SBC-115076 promoted PRV proliferation. The data from the study indicate that PRV hijacks LDLR for viral entry through the activation of SREBPs.IMPORTANCEPseudorabies virus (PRV) is a herpesvirus that primarily manifests as fever, pruritus, and encephalomyelitis in various domestic and wild animals. Owing to its lifelong latent infection characteristics, PRV outbreaks have led to significant financial setbacks in the global pig industry. There is evidence that PRV variant strains can infect humans, thereby crossing the species barrier. Therefore, gaining deeper insights into PRV pathogenesis and developing updated strategies to contain its spread are critical. This study posits that the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) could be a co-receptor for PRV infection. Hence, strategies targeting LDLR may provide a promising avenue for the development of effective PRV vaccines and therapeutic interventions.

The glycoprotein 5 of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus stimulates mitochondrial ROS to facilitate viral replication.

IMPORTANCE: Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) presents a significant economic concern for the global swine industry due to its connection to serious production losses and increased mortality rates. There is currently no specific treatment for PRRSV. Previously, we had uncovered that PRRSV-activated lipophagy to facilitate viral replication. However, the precise mechanism that PRRSV used to trigger autophagy remained unclear. Here, we found that PRRSV GP5 enhanced mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake from ER by promoting ER-mitochondria contact, resulting in mROS release. Elevated mROS induced autophagy, which alleviated NLRP3 inflammasome activation for optimal viral replication. Our study shed light on a novel mechanism revealing how PRRSV exploits mROS to facilitate viral replication.

RhoA suppresses pseudorabies virus replication in vitro.

The porcine pseudorabies virus (PRV) is one of the most devastating pathogens and brings great economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. Viruses are intracellular parasites that have evolved numerous strategies to subvert and utilize different host processes for their life cycle. Among the different systems of the host cell, the cytoskeleton is one of the most important which not only facilitate viral invasion and spread into neighboring cells, but also help viruses to evade the host immune system. RhoA is a key regulator of cytoskeleton system that may participate in virus infection. In this study, we characterized the function of RhoA in the PRV replication by chemical drugs treatment, gene knockdown and gene over-expression strategy. Inhibition of RhoA by specific inhibitor and gene knockdown promoted PRV proliferation. On the contrary, overexpression of RhoA or activation of RhoA by chemical drug inhibited PRV infection. Besides, our data demonstrated that PRV infection induced the disruption of actin stress fiber, which was consistent with previous report. In turn, the actin specific inhibitor cytochalasin D markedly disrupted the normal fibrous structure of intracellular actin cytoskeleton and decreased the PRV replication, suggesting that actin cytoskeleton polymerization contributed to PRV replication in vitro. In summary, our data displayed that RhoA was a host restriction factor that inhibited PRV replication, which may deepen our understanding the pathogenesis of PRV and provide further insight into the prevention of PRV infection and the development of anti-viral drugs.

TMEM41B Is an Interferon-Stimulated Gene That Promotes Pseudorabies Virus Replication.

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a double-stranded DNA virus that causes Aujeszky's disease and is responsible for economic loss worldwide. Transmembrane protein 41B (TMEM41B) is a novel endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized regulator of autophagosome biogenesis and lipid mobilization; however, the role of TMEM41B in regulating PRV replication remains undocumented. In this study, PRV infection was found to upregulate TMEM41B mRNA and protein levels both in vitro and in vivo. For the first time, we found that TMEM41B could be induced by interferon (IFN), suggesting that TMEM41B is an IFN-stimulated gene (ISG). While TMEM41B knockdown suppressed PRV proliferation, TMEM41B overexpression promoted PRV proliferation. We next studied the specific stages of the virus life cycle and found that TMEM41B knockdown affected PRV entry. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that the knockdown of TMEM41B blocked PRV-stimulated expression of the key enzymes involved in lipid synthesis. Additionally, TMEM41B knockdown played a role in the dynamics of lipid-regulated PRV entry-dependent clathrin-coated pits (CCPs). Lipid replenishment restored the CCP dynamic and PRV entry in TMEM41B knockdown cells. Together, our results indicate that TMEM41B plays a role in PRV infection via regulating lipid homeostasis. IMPORTANCE PRV belongs to the alphaherpesvirus subfamily and can establish and maintain a lifelong latent infection in pigs. As such, an intermittent active cycle presents great challenges to the prevention and control of PRV disease and is responsible for serious economic losses to the pig breeding industry. Studies have shown that lipids play a crucial role in PRV proliferation. Thus, the manipulation of lipid metabolism may represent a new perspective for the prevention and treatment of PRV. In this study, we report that the ER transmembrane protein TMEM41B is a novel ISG involved in PRV infection by regulating lipid synthesis. Therefore, our findings indicate that targeting TMEM41B may be a promising approach for the development of PRV vaccines and therapeutics.

Alphaherpesvirus upregulates NDRG1 expression to facilitate the nuclear import of viral UL31 and UL34 proteins.

Proteins UL31 and UL34 encoded by alphaherpesvirus are critical for viral primary envelopment and nuclear egress. We report here that pseudorabies virus (PRV), a useful model for research on herpesvirus pathogenesis, uses N-myc downstream regulated 1 (NDRG1) to assist the nuclear import of UL31 and UL34. PRV promoted NDRG1 expression through DNA damage-induced P53 activation, which was beneficial to viral proliferation. PRV induced the nuclear translocation of NDRG1, and its deficiency resulted in the cytosolic retention of UL31 and UL34. Therefore, NDRG1 assisted the nuclear import of UL31 and UL34. Furthermore, in the absence of the nuclear localization signal (NLS), UL31 could still translocate to the nucleus, and NDRG1 lacked an NLS, thus suggesting the existence of other mediators for the nuclear import of UL31 and UL34. We demonstrated that heat shock cognate protein 70 (HSC70) was the key factor in this process. UL31 and UL34 interacted with the N-terminal domain of NDRG1 and the C-terminal domain of NDRG1 bound to HSC70. Replenishment of HSC70ΔNLS in HSC70-knockdown cells, or interference in importin α expression, abolished the nuclear translocation of UL31, UL34, and NDRG1. These results indicated that NDRG1 employs HSC70 to facilitate viral proliferation in the nuclear import of PRV UL31 and UL34.

EGCG Restricts PRRSV Proliferation by Disturbing Lipid Metabolism.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection leads to late-term reproductive failure and respiratory illness that affect the global swine industry. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a polyphenolic compound from green tea that exerts antiviral activity against diverse viruses. This study aimed to report an uncharacterized mechanism of how EGCG restricted PRRSV proliferation. EGCG showed no significant effects on cell viability, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis in porcine alveolar macrophages and MARC-145 cells. The treatment of cells with EGCG attenuated the replication of both highly pathogenic and less pathogenic PRRSV in vitro. The viral life cycle analysis demonstrated that EGCG affected PRRSV replication and assembly, but not viral attachment, entry, or release. Interestingly, EGCG treatment abrogated the increased lipid droplets formation and lipid content induced by PRRSV infection. We further demonstrated that EGCG blocked PRRSV-stimulated expression of the key enzymes in lipid synthesis. In addition, EGCG attenuated PRRSV-induced autophagy that is critical for PRRSV proliferation. The supplementation of oleic acid restored PRRSV replication and assembly under EGCG treatment. Together, our results support that EGCG inhibits PRRSV proliferation through disturbing lipid metabolism. IMPORTANCE Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is an enveloped single-positive-stranded RNA virus that causes acute respiratory distress in piglets and reproductive failure in sows, resulting in huge economic losses to the global swine industry. Several lines of evidence have suggested the crucial roles of lipids in PRRSV proliferation. Our previous report demonstrated that PRRSV activated lipophagy to facilitate viral replication through downregulating the expression of N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 1. The manipulation of lipid metabolism may be a new perspective to prevent PRRSV spread. In the present study, we reported that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major component of green tea catechins, significantly attenuated PRRSV infection through inhibiting lipid synthesis and autophagy. Given that natural products derived from plants have helped in the prevention and treatment of various infectious diseases, EGCG has a great potential to serve as a safe and environmentally friendly natural compound to treat PRRSV infection.

Pseudorabies Virus Inhibits Expression of Liver X Receptors to Assist Viral Infection.

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a contagious herpesvirus that causes Aujeszky's disease and economic losses worldwide. Liver X receptors (LXRs) belong to the nuclear receptor superfamily and are critical for the control of lipid homeostasis. However, the role of LXR in PRV infection has not been fully established. In this study, we found that PRV infection downregulated the mRNA and protein levels of LXRα and LXRß in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we discovered that LXR activation suppressed PRV proliferation, while LXR inhibition promoted PRV proliferation. We demonstrated that LXR activation-mediated reduction of cellular cholesterol was critical for the dynamics of PRV entry-dependent clathrin-coated pits. Replenishment of cholesterol restored the dynamics of clathrin-coated pits and PRV entry under LXR activation conditions. Interestingly, T0901317, an LXR agonist, prevented PRV infection in mice. Our results support a model that PRV modulates LXR-regulated cholesterol metabolism to facilitate viral proliferation.

Inhibition of USP14 influences alphaherpesvirus proliferation by degrading viral VP16 protein via ER stress-triggered selective autophagy.

Alphaherpesvirus infection results in severe health consequences in a wide range of hosts. USPs are the largest subfamily of deubiquitinating enzymes that play critical roles in immunity and other cellular functions. To investigate the role of USPs in alphaherpesvirus replication, we assessed 13 USP inhibitors for PRV replication. Our data showed that all the tested compounds inhibited PRV replication, with the USP14 inhibitor b-AP15 exhibiting the most dramatic effect. Ablation of USP14 also influenced PRV replication, whereas replenishment of USP14 in USP14 null cells restored viral replication. Although inhibition of USP14 induced the K63-linked ubiquitination of PRV VP16 protein, its degradation was not dependent on the proteasome. USP14 directly bound to ubiquitin chains on VP16 through its UBL domain during the early stage of viral infection. Moreover, USP14 inactivation stimulated EIF2AK3/PERK- and ERN1/IRE1-mediated signaling pathways, which were responsible for VP16 degradation through SQSTM1/p62-mediated selective macroautophagy/autophagy. Ectopic expression of non-ubiquitinated VP16 fully rescued PRV replication. Challenge of mice with b-AP15 activated ER stress and autophagy and inhibited PRV infection in vivo. Our results suggested that USP14 was a potential therapeutic target to treat alphaherpesvirus-induced infectious diseases.Abbreviations ATF4: activating transcription factor 4; ATF6: activating transcription factor 6; ATG5: autophagy related 5; ATG12: autophagy related 12; CCK-8: cell counting kit-8; Co-IP: co-immunoprecipitation; CRISPR: clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeat; Cas9: CRISPR associated system 9; DDIT3/CHOP: DNA-damage inducible transcript 3; DNAJB9/ERdj4: DnaJ heat shock protein family (Hsp40) member B9; DUBs: deubiquitinases; EIF2A/eIF2α: eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2A; EIF2AK3/PERK: eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha kinase 3; EP0: ubiquitin E3 ligase ICP0; ER: endoplasmic reticulum; ERN1/IRE1: endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to nucleus signaling 1; FOXO1: forkhead box O1; FRET: Förster resonance energy transfer; HSPA5/BiP: heat shock protein 5; HSV: herpes simplex virus; IE180: transcriptional regulator ICP4; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtube-associated protein 1 light chain 3; MOI: multiplicity of infection; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; PPP1R15A/GADD34: protein phosphatase 1, regulatory subunit 15A; PRV: pseudorabies virus; PRV gB: PRV glycoprotein B; PRV gE: PRV glycoprotein E; qRT-PCR: quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction; sgRNA: single guide RNA; siRNA: small interfering RNA; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; TCID50: tissue culture infective dose; UB: ubiquitin; UBA: ubiquitin-associated domain; UBL: ubiquitin-like domain; UL9: DNA replication origin-binding helicase; UPR: unfolded protein response; USPs: ubiquitin-specific proteases; VHS: virion host shutoff; VP16: viral protein 16; XBP1: X-box binding protein 1; XBP1s: small XBP1; XBP1(t): XBP1-total.

CRISPR/Cas9-based generation of a recombinant double-reporter pseudorabies virus and its characterization in vitro and in vivo.

Pseudorabies, caused by pseudorabies virus (PRV) variants, has broken out among commercial PRV vaccine-immunized swine herds and resulted in major economic losses to the pig industry in China since late 2011. However, the mechanism of virulence enhancement of variant PRV is currently unclear. Here, a recombinant PRV (rPRV HN1201-EGFP-Luc) with stable expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and firefly luciferase as a double reporter virus was constructed on the basis of the PRV variant HN1201 through CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology coupled with two sgRNAs. The biological characteristics of the recombinant virus and its lethality to mice were similar to those of the parental strain and displayed a stable viral titre and luciferase activity through 20 passages. Moreover, bioluminescence signals were detected in mice at 12 h after rPRV HN1201-EGFP-Luc infection. Using the double reporter PRV, we also found that 25-hydroxycholesterol had a significant inhibitory effect on PRV both in vivo and in vitro. These results suggested that the double reporter PRV based on PRV variant HN1201 should be an excellent tool for basic virology studies and evaluating antiviral agents.

Inhibition of histone deacetylase 1 suppresses pseudorabies virus infection through cGAS-STING antiviral innate immunity.

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus that is the etiological agent of Aujeszky's disease in pigs. Vaccination is currently available to prevent PRV infection, but there is still an urgent need for new strategies to control this infectious disease. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are epigenetic regulators that regulate the histone tail, chromatin conformation, protein-DNA interaction and even transcription. Viral transcription and protein activities are intimately linked to regulation by histone acetyltransferases and HDACs that remodel chromatin and regulate gene expression. We reported here that genetic and pharmacological inhibition of HDAC1 significantly influenced PRV replication. Moreover, we demonstrated that inhibition of HDAC1 induced a DNA damage response and antiviral innate immunity. Mechanistically, the HDAC1 inhibition-induced DNA damage response resulted in the release of double-strand DNA into the cytosol to activate cyclic GMP-AMP synthase and the downstream STING/TBK1/IRF3 innate immune signaling pathway. Our results demonstrate that an HDAC1 inhibitor may be used as a new strategy to prevent Aujeszky's disease in pigs.

Inhibition of PARP1 Dampens Pseudorabies Virus Infection through DNA Damage-Induced Antiviral Innate Immunity.

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is the causative pathogen of Aujeszky's disease in pigs. Although vaccination is currently applied to prevent the morbidity of PRV infection, new applications are urgently needed to control this infectious disease. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) functions in DNA damage repair. We report here that pharmacological and genetic inhibition of PARP1 significantly influenced PRV replication. Moreover, we demonstrate that inhibition of PARP1 induced DNA damage response and antiviral innate immunity. Mechanistically, PARP1 inhibition-induced DNA damage response resulted in the release of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) into the cytosol, where dsDNA interacted with cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) synthase (cGAS). cGAS subsequently catalyzed cGAMP production to activate the STING/TBK1/IRF3 innate immune signaling pathway. Furthermore, challenge of mice with PARP1 inhibitor stimulated antiviral innate immunity and protected mice from PRV infection in vivo. Our results demonstrate that PARP1 inhibitors may be used as a new strategy to prevent Aujeszky's disease in pigs. IMPORTANCE Aujeszky's disease is a notifiable infectious disease of pigs and causes economic losses worldwide in the pig industry. The causative pathogen is PRV, which is a member of the subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae of the family Herpesviridae. PRV has a wide range of hosts, such as ruminants, carnivores, and rodents. More seriously, recent reports suggest that PRV can cause human endophthalmitis and encephalitis, which indicates that PRV may be a potential zoonotic pathogen. Although vaccination is currently the major strategy used to control the disease, new applications are also urgently needed for the pig industry and public health. We report here that inhibition of PARP1 induces DNA damage-induced antiviral innate immunity through the cGAS-STING signaling pathway. Therefore, PARP1 is a therapeutic target for PRV infection as well as alphaherpesvirus infection.

Functionally active cyclin-dependent kinase 9 is essential for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus subgenomic RNA synthesis.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) is a key regulator of RNA-polymerase II and a candidate therapeutic target for various virus infections such as respiratory syncytial virus, herpes simplex virus, human adenovirus, human cytomegalovirus, hepatitis virus B, and human papillomavirus. We employed CDK9-IN-1, a selective CDK9 inhibitor, to investigate the role of CDK9 in porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection. CDK9-IN-1 dose-dependently reduced PRRSV replication without cytotoxicity in the infected cells. The antiviral activity of CDK9-IN-1 was further confirmed by evaluating the effects of lentivirus-mediated CDK9 knockdown or CDK9 overexpression on PRRSV infection. Briefly, the depletion of CDK9 significantly inhibited viral replication, while the overexpression of CDK9 promoted viral replication. PRRSV infection also enhanced the nuclear export of CDK9 without affecting CDK9 protein expression. Viral replication cycle analyses further revealed that functionally active CDK9 in the cytosol advanced viral subgenomic RNA synthesis. Collectively, our data illustrated that CDK9 was a new host factor that was involved in PRRSV subgenomic RNA synthesis, and CDK9 inhibitor, CDK9-IN-1 was a promising antiviral candidate for PRRSV infection.

Engineered Antibody Fragment against the Urokinase Plasminogen Activator for Fast Delineation of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer by Positron Emission Tomography.

The urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and its cofactors are important regulators of tumor initiation and progression (including metastasis), and its overexpression is associated with unfavorable situations in cancer patients. We have previously used positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody against the uPA (named ATN-291) to detect the uPA signaling activity in various cancer types; however, good tumor contrast can only be observed 24 h postinjection. To shorten the antibody circulation time and decrease interactions of ATN-291 with the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS), our goal in this study is to develop an engineered antibody fragment (F(ab')2) from the parent antibody. By pepsin digestion and chromatography purification, ATN-291 F(ab')2 was obtained and characterized. Subsequently, it was conjugated with NOTA-Bn-NCS or fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) for PET imaging and fluorescence-mediated cellular analysis (i.e., flow cytometry or fluorescence microscopy). We confirmed that ATN-291 F(ab')2 still maintained a good targeting efficacy for the uPA in MDA-MB-231 cells (uPA+) and it had a faster blood clearance speed compared with ATN-291, while its interaction with MPS has been significantly decreased. In rodent tumor xenografts, radiolabeled ATN-291 F(ab')2 had a selective and persistent uptake in MDA-MB-231 tumors, with an early tumor-to-blood ratio of 1.3 ± 0.8 (n = 4) at 2 h postinjection from PET imaging. During our observation, radiolabeled ATN-291 F(ab')2 was excreted from both renal and hepatobiliary pathways. Radiolabeled ATN-291 F(ab')2 was also used for detecting uPA fluctuation during the tumor treatment in test animals. We concluded that radiolabeled ATN-291 F(ab')2 could be used as fast as PET cancer diagnostics with versatile applicability.

The Human-Specific STING Agonist G10 Activates Type I Interferon and the NLRP3 Inflammasome in Porcine Cells.

Pigs have anatomical and physiological characteristics comparable to those in humans and, therefore, are a favorable model for immune function research. Interferons (IFNs) and inflammasomes have essential roles in the innate immune system. Here, we report that G10, a human-specific agonist of stimulator of interferon genes (STING), activates both type I IFN and the canonical NLRP3 inflammasome in a STING-dependent manner in porcine cells. Without a priming signal, G10 alone transcriptionally stimulated Sp1-dependent p65 expression, thus triggering activation of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway and thereby priming inflammasome activation. G10 was also found to induce potassium efflux- and NLRP3/ASC/Caspase-1-dependent secretion of IL-1ß and IL-18. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasomes increased G10-induced type I IFN expression, thereby preventing virus infection, suggesting negative regulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the IFN response in the context of STING-mediated innate immune activation. Overall, our findings reveal a new mechanism through which G10 activates the NLRP3 inflammasome in porcine cells and provide new insights into STING-mediated innate immunity in pigs compared with humans.