CMV-encoded GPCR pUL33 activates CREB and facilitates its recruitment to the MIE locus for efficient viral reactivation.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) establishes life-long latent infection in hematopoietic progenitor cells and circulating monocytes in infected individuals. Myeloid differentiation coupled with immune dysregulation leads to viral reactivation, which can cause severe disease and mortality. Reactivation of latent virus requires chromatin reorganization and the removal of transcriptional repressors in exchange for transcriptional activators. While some factors involved in these processes are identified, a complete characterization of the viral and cellular factors involved in their upstream regulation remains elusive. Herein, we show the HCMV-encoded G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), UL33, is expressed during latency. Although this viral GPCR is not required to maintain latent infection, our data reveal UL33-mediated signaling is important for efficient viral reactivation. Additionally, UL33 signaling induces cellular cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB1, referred to here as CREB) phosphorylation, a transcription factor that promotes reactivation when recruited to the major immediate early (MIE) enhancer/promoter. Finally, targeted pharmacological inhibition of CREB activity reverses the reactivation phenotype of the UL33 signaling-deficient mutant. In sum, our data reveal UL33-mediated signaling functions to activate CREB, resulting in successful viral reactivation.

Activator protein-1 transactivation of the major immediate early locus is a determinant of cytomegalovirus reactivation from latency.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a ubiquitous pathogen that latently infects hematopoietic cells and has the ability to reactivate when triggered by immunological stress. This reactivation causes significant morbidity and mortality in immune-deficient patients, who are unable to control viral dissemination. While a competent immune system helps prevent clinically detectable viremia, a portrait of the factors that induce reactivation following the proper cues remains incomplete. Our understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms underlying latency and reactivation continues to evolve. We previously showed the HCMV-encoded G protein-coupled receptor US28 is expressed during latency and facilitates latent infection by attenuating the activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factor subunit, c-fos, expression and activity. We now show AP-1 is a critical component for HCMV reactivation. Pharmacological inhibition of c-fos significantly attenuates viral reactivation. In agreement, infection with a virus in which we disrupted the proximal AP-1 binding site in the major immediate early (MIE) enhancer results in inefficient reactivation compared to WT. Concomitantly, AP-1 recruitment to the MIE enhancer is significantly decreased following reactivation of the mutant virus. Furthermore, AP-1 is critical for derepression of MIE-driven transcripts and downstream early and late genes, while immediate early genes from other loci remain unaffected. Our data also reveal MIE transcripts driven from the MIE promoter, the distal promoter, and the internal promoter, iP2, are dependent upon AP-1 recruitment, while iP1-driven transcripts are AP-1-independent. Collectively, our data demonstrate AP-1 binding to and activation of the MIE enhancer is a key molecular process controlling reactivation from latency.

Delivery of US28 by incoming HCMV particles rapidly attenuates Akt activity to suppress HCMV lytic replication in monocytes.

Establishing a nonproductive, quiescent infection within monocytes is essential for the spread of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). We investigated the mechanisms through which HCMV establishes a quiescent infection in monocytes. US28 is a virally encoded G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that is essential for silent infections within cells of the myeloid lineage. We found that preformed US28 was rapidly delivered to monocytes by HCMV viral particles, whereas the de novo synthesis of US28 was delayed for several days. A recombinant mutant virus lacking US28 (US28Δ) was unable to establish a quiescent infection, resulting in a fully productive lytic infection able to produce progeny virus. Infection with US28Δ HCMV resulted in the phosphorylation of the serine and threonine kinase Akt at Ser473 and Thr308, in contrast with the phosphorylation of Akt only at Ser473 after WT viral infection. Inhibiting the dual phosphorylation of Akt prevented the lytic replication of US28Δ, and ectopic expression of a constitutively phosphorylated Akt variant triggered lytic replication of wild-type HCMV. Mechanistically, we found that US28 was necessary and sufficient to attenuate epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling induced during the entry of WT virus, which led to the site-specific phosphorylation of Akt at Ser473. Thus, particle-delivered US28 fine-tunes Akt activity by limiting HCMV-induced EGFR activation during viral entry, enabling quiescent infection in monocytes.

Virion-associated US28 rapidly modulates Akt activity to suppress HCMV lytic replication in monocytes.

Establishing a non-productive quiescent/silent infection within monocytes is essential for spread of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). Yet, how HCMV establishes a quiescent infection in monocytes remains unclear. US28 is a viral G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) essential for silent infections within cells of the myeloid lineage. We found virion-associated US28 was rapidly delivered to monocytes, while de novo synthesized US28 was delayed for several days. A recombinant mutant virus lacking US28 (US28Δ) was unable to establish a quiescent infection, resulting in a fully productive lytic replication cycle. Mechanistically, viral entry of US28Δ phosphorylated Akt at both serine 473 (S473) and threonine 308 (T308), which contrasted with the site-specific phosphorylation of Akt at S473 following WT infection. Preventing Akt bi-phosphorylation prevented lytic replication of US28Δ, and ectopic expression of a constitutively phosphorylated Akt variant triggered lytic replication of WT infection. Our data demonstrate that virion-delivered US28 fine-tunes Akt activity to permit HCMV infection to enter a quiescent state following primary infection of monocytes.

Design of a US28 ORF Deletion Virus in a Temperature-Sensitive Cytomegalovirus Strain Fails to Promote Lytic Replication in Hematopoietic Cells.

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a ubiquitous pathogen that latently resides in hematopoietic cells. Latently infected individuals with dysfunctional immune systems often experience CMV reactivation, which can cause devastating disease and mortality. While factors dictating the balance between latency and reactivation are not completely understood, CMV US28 is required for maintaining latent infection, and viral mutants that alter US28 function result in a lytic-like, rather than latent, infection in hematopoietic cells. In turn, viral lytic factors alter the host cell, making it challenging to characterize the US28-specific changes in the cellular milieu. To circumvent this, we generated a temperature-sensitive TB40/E recombinant virus, TB40/EgfpC510G (tsC510G), into which we engineered an amino acid change at position 510 (C510G) of IE2, as previously described in the CMV Towne strain. Using tsC510G, we then deleted the US28 ORF, termed tsC510G-US28Δ. Consistent with previous findings, tsC510G-US28Δ fails to undergo latency in Kasumi-3 cells at the permissive temperature. However, parallel cultures maintained at the non-permissive temperature showed a significant reduction in infectious center frequency, as measured by limiting dilution assay. Thus, we generated a new US28 mutant virus for use as a tool to study US28-specific changes in latently infected hematopoietic cells in the absence of induced lytic replication.

Cytomegalovirus US28 regulates cellular EphA2 to maintain viral latency.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation from latency following immune dysregulation remains a serious risk for patients, often causing substantial morbidity and mortality. Here, we demonstrate the CMV-encoded G protein-coupled receptor, US28, in coordination with cellular Ephrin receptor A2, attenuates mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling, thereby limiting viral replication in latently infected primary monocytes. Furthermore, treatment of latently infected primary monocytes with dasatinib, a Food and Drug Association-approved kinase inhibitor used to treat a subset of leukemias, results in CMV reactivation. These ex vivo data correlate with our retrospective analyses of the Explorys electronic health record database, where we find dasatinib treatment is associated with a significant risk of CMV-associated disease (odds ratio 1.58, P = 0.0004). Collectively, our findings elucidate a signaling pathway that plays a central role in the balance between CMV latency and reactivation and identifies a common therapeutic cancer treatment that elevates the risk of CMV-associated disease.

The Requirement for US28 During Cytomegalovirus Latency Is Independent of US27 and US29 Gene Expression.

The ability to establish a latent infection with periodic reactivation events ensures herpesviruses, like human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), lifelong infection, and serial passage. The host-pathogen relationship throughout HCMV latency is complex, though both cellular and viral factors influence the equilibrium between latent and lytic infection. We and others have shown one of the viral-encoded G protein-coupled receptors, US28, is required for HCMV latency. US28 potentiates signals both constitutively and in response to ligand binding, and we previously showed deletion of the ligand binding domain or mutation of the G protein-coupling domain results in the failure to maintain latency similar to deletion of the entire US28 open reading frame (ORF). Interestingly, a recent publication detailed an altered phenotype from that previously reported, showing US28 is required for viral reactivation rather than latency, suggesting the US28 ORF deletion impacts transcription of the surrounding genes. Here, we show an independently generated US28-stop mutant, like the US28 ORF deletion mutant, fails to maintain latency in hematopoietic cells. Further, we found US27 and US29 transcription in each of these mutants was comparable to their expression during wild type infection, suggesting neither US28 mutant alters mRNA levels of the surrounding genes. Finally, infection with a US28 ORF deletion virus expressed US27 protein comparable to its expression following wild type infection. In sum, our new data strongly support previous findings from our lab and others, detailing a requirement for US28 during HCMV latent infection.

Crystal structure of poliovirus 3CD protein: virally encoded protease and precursor to the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.

Poliovirus 3CD is a multifunctional protein that serves as a precursor to the protease 3C(pro) and the viral polymerase 3D(pol) and also plays a role in the control of viral replication. Although 3CD is a fully functional protease, it lacks polymerase activity. We have solved the crystal structures of 3CD at a 3.4-A resolution and the G64S fidelity mutant of 3D(pol) at a 3.0-A resolution. In the 3CD structure, the 3C and 3D domains are joined by a poorly ordered polypeptide linker, possibly to facilitate its cleavage, in an arrangement that precludes intramolecular proteolysis. The polymerase active site is intact in both the 3CD and the 3D(pol) G64S structures, despite the disruption of a network proposed to position key residues in the active site. Therefore, changes in molecular flexibility may be responsible for the differences in fidelity and polymerase activities. Extensive packing contacts between symmetry-related 3CD molecules and the approach of the 3C domain's N terminus to the VPg binding site suggest how 3D(pol) makes biologically relevant interactions with the 3C, 3CD, and 3BCD proteins that control the uridylylation of VPg during the initiation of viral replication. Indeed, mutations designed to disrupt these interfaces have pronounced effects on the uridylylation reaction in vitro.