Viral structural proteins are associated specifically with a set of Heat shock proteins including HSP70, GRP94 and HSP27 in the brain tissues of suckling mice experimentally infected with Hantaan virus / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study Heat shock proteins (HSPs) induction and their association with Hantaan virus (HTNV) structural proteins in the brain tissues of mice experimentally infected with HTNV 76～118. Methods Newborn mice less than 72 h of age were experimentally infected with HTNV by intracerebral inoculation. The brains of mice at the 8th day post infection were removed and prepared for tissue extracts. The possible interaction or association of Hantaan virus nucleocapsid protein (HTNV NP) and glycoprotein G2 (HTNV G2) with GRP94, HSP70 and HSP27 were analyzed by double specific antibo dies sandwich ELISA and immunoprecipitation methods. Results HTNV infection induced the expression a set of HSPs including GRP94 and HSP70 in the brain tissues of mice experimentally infected with HTNV. HTNV NP was associated with GRP94, HSP70 and HSP27, which led to formation of HTNV NP HSP70 GRP94 HSP27 complexes. It was also observed that HTNV G2 was associated with NP and HSP27, which led to formation of HTNV G2 NP HSP27 complexes. Conclusions HTNV infection induces expression of a set of HSPs, which were associate with viral structural proteins in the brain tissues of mice experimentally infected with HTNV. This association may demonstrate the chaperone roles of HSPs in the synthesis, transportation and maturity of viral proteins during viral replication in the host cells.