Nipah virus (NiV) is an emerging paramyxovirus that can cause lethal respiratory illness in humans. No vaccine/therapeutic is currently licensed for humans. Human-to-human transmission was previously reported during outbreaks and NiV could be isolated from respiratory secretions, but the proportion of cases in Malaysia exhibiting respiratory symptoms was significantly lower than that in Bangladesh. Previously, we showed that primary human basal respiratory epithelial cells are susceptible to both NiV-Malaysia (M) and -Bangladesh (B) strains causing robust pro-inflammatory responses. However, the cells of the human respiratory epithelium that NiV targets are unknown and their role in NiV transmission and NiV-related lung pathogenesis is still poorly understood. Here, we characterized NiV infection of the human respiratory epithelium using a model of the human tracheal/bronchial (B-ALI) and small airway (S-ALI) epithelium cultured at an air-liquid interface. We show that NiV-M and NiV-B infect ciliated and secretory cells in B/S-ALI, and that infection of S-ALI, but not B-ALI, results in disruption of the epithelium integrity and host responses recruiting human immune cells. Interestingly, NiV-B replicated more efficiently in B-ALI than did NiV-M. These results suggest that the human tracheal/bronchial epithelium is favourable to NiV replication and shedding, while inducing a limited host response. Our data suggest that the small airways epithelium is prone to inflammation and lesions as well as constituting a point of virus entry into the pulmonary vasculature. The use of relevant models of the human respiratory tract, such as B/S-ALI, is critical for understanding NiV-related lung pathogenesis and identifying the underlying mechanisms allowing human-to-human transmission.
Within mosquitoes, arboviruses encounter barriers to infection and dissemination that are critical determinants of vector competence. The molecular mechanisms responsible for these barriers have yet to be elucidated. The prototype Sindbis (SIN) strain, AR339, and viruses derived from this strain, such as TR339 virus, have limited infection and transmission potential in the medically important arthropod vector, Aedes aegypti (L.). However, the Malaysian SIN virus strain, MRE16, disseminates in nearly 100% of Ae. aegypti 14 d after oral infection. Here, we compare the spatial and temporal infection patterns of MRE16 and TR339 viruses in Ae. aegypti. The results indicate that a midgut escape barrier is primarily responsible for the significantly lower dissemination and transmission potentials observed after oral infection with TR339 virus. MRE16 and TR339 viruses now represent a well-characterized model system for the further study of virus determinants of vector infection, particularly determinants affecting the midgut escape barrier in Ae. aegypti.
During the Nipah virus (NiV) outbreak in Malaysia, pigs and humans were infected. While pigs generally developed severe respiratory disease due to effective virus replication and associated inflammation processes in porcine airways, respiratory symptoms in humans were rare and less severe. To elucidate the reasons for the species-specific differences in NiV airway infections, we compared the cytokine responses as a first reaction to NiV in primary porcine and human bronchial epithelial cells (PBEpC and HBEpC, respectively). In both cell types, NiV infection resulted in the expression of type III interferons (IFN-λ). Upon infection with similar virus doses, viral RNA load and IFN expression were substantially higher in HBEpC. Even if PBEpC expressed the same viral RNA amounts as NiV-infected HBEpC, the porcine cells showed reduced IFN- and IFN-dependent antiviral gene expression. Despite this inherently limited IFN response, the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8) in NiV-infected PBEpC was not decreased. The downregulation of antiviral activity in the presence of a functional proinflammatory cytokine response might be one of the species-specific factors contributing to efficient virus replication and acute inflammation in the lungs of pigs infected with the Malaysian NiV strain.
Tobacco smoking is a leading cause of preventable mortality, and it is the major contributor to diseases such as COPD and lung cancer. Cigarette smoke compromises the pulmonary antiviral immune response, increasing susceptibility to viral infections. There is currently no therapy that specifically addresses the problem of impaired antiviral response in cigarette smokers and COPD patients, highlighting the necessity to develop novel treatment strategies. 18-β-glycyrrhetinic acid (18-β-gly) is a phytoceutical derived from licorice with promising anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral activities whose clinical application is hampered by poor solubility. This study explores the therapeutic potential of an advanced drug delivery system encapsulating 18-β-gly in poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles in addressing the impaired antiviral immunity observed in smokers and COPD patients. Exposure of BCi-NS1.1 human bronchial epithelial cells to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) resulted in reduced expression of critical antiviral chemokines (IP-10, I-TAC, MIP-1α/1β), mimicking what happens in smokers and COPD patients. Treatment with 18-β-gly-PLGA nanoparticles partially restored the expression of these chemokines, demonstrating promising therapeutic impact. The nanoparticles increased IP-10, I-TAC, and MIP-1α/1β levels, exhibiting potential in attenuating the negative effects of cigarette smoke on the antiviral response. This study provides a novel approach to address the impaired antiviral immune response in vulnerable populations, offering a foundation for further investigations and potential therapeutic interventions. Further studies, including a comprehensive in vitro characterization and in vivo testing, are warranted to validate the therapeutic efficacy of 18-β-gly-PLGA nanoparticles in respiratory disorders associated with compromised antiviral immunity.
Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV) are deadly zoonotic viruses for which no vaccines or therapeutics are licensed for human use. Henipavirus infection causes severe respiratory illness and encephalitis. Although the exact route of transmission in human is unknown, epidemiological studies and in vivo studies suggest that the respiratory tract is important for virus replication. However, the target cells in the respiratory tract are unknown, as are the mechanisms by which henipaviruses can cause disease. In this study, we characterized henipavirus pathogenesis using primary cells derived from the human respiratory tract. The growth kinetics of NiV-Malaysia, NiV-Bangladesh, and HeV were determined in bronchial/tracheal epithelial cells (NHBE) and small airway epithelial cells (SAEC). In addition, host responses to infection were assessed by gene expression analysis and immunoassays. Viruses replicated efficiently in both cell types and induced large syncytia. The host response to henipavirus infection in NHBE and SAEC highlighted a difference in the inflammatory response between HeV and NiV strains as well as intrinsic differences in the ability to mount an inflammatory response between NHBE and SAEC. These responses were highest during HeV infection in SAEC, as characterized by the levels of key cytokines (interleukin 6 [IL-6], IL-8, IL-1α, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 [MCP-1], and colony-stimulating factors) responsible for immune cell recruitment. Finally, we identified virus strain-dependent variability in type I interferon antagonism in NHBE and SAEC: NiV-Malaysia counteracted this pathway more efficiently than NiV-Bangladesh and HeV. These results provide crucial new information in the understanding of henipavirus pathogenesis in the human respiratory tract at an early stage of infection.
Genotype VI-paramyxovirus (GVI-PMV1) is a major cause of epidemic Newcastle-like disease in Columbiformes. This genotype of avian paramyxovirus type 1 has diversified rapidly since its introduction into the US in 1982 resulting in two extant lineages, which have different population growth properties. Although some GVI-PMV1s replicate poorly in chickens, it is possible that variants with different replicative or pathogenic potential in chickens exist among the genetically-diverse GVI-PMV1s strains. To determine if variants of Columbiform GVI-PMV1 with different phylogenetic affiliations have distinct phenotypic properties in chickens, we investigated the replicative properties of 10 naturally circulating pigeon-derived isolates representing four subgroups of GVI-PMV1 in primary chicken lung epithelial cells and in chicken embryos. Our data demonstrate that GVI-PMV1 variants have different infection phenotypes in their chicken source host and that properties reflect subgroup affiliation. These subgroup replicative properties are consistent with observed dynamics of viral population growth.
BACKGROUND:
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is a lethal systemic disease, caused by the FIP Virus (FIPV); a virulent mutant of Feline Enteric Coronavirus (FECV). Currently, the viruses virulence determinants and host gene expressions during FIPV infection are not fully understood.
METHODS:
RNA sequencing of Crandell Rees Feline Kidney (CRFK) cells, infected with FIPV strain 79-1146 at 3 hours post infection (h.p.i), were sequenced using the Illumina next generation sequencing approach. Bioinformatic's analysis, based on Felis catus 2X annotated shotgun reference genome, using CLC bio Genome Workbench mapped both control and infected cell reads to 18899 genes out of 19046 annotated genes. Kal's Z test statistical analysis was used to analyse the differentially expressed genes from the infected CRFK cells. Real time RT-qPCR was developed for further transcriptional profiling of three genes (PD-1, PD-L1 and A3H) in infected CRFK cells and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) from healthy and FIP-diseased cats.
RESULTS:
Based on Kal's Z-test, with False Discovery Rate (FDR) <0.05 and >1.99 fold change on gene expressions, a total of 61 genes were differentially expressed by both samples, where 44 genes were up-regulated and the remainder were down-regulated. Most genes were closely clustered together, suggesting a homogeneous expression. The majority of the genes that were significantly regulated, were those associated with monocytes-macrophage and Th1 cell functions, and the regulation of apoptosis. Real time RT-qPCR developed focusing on 2 up-regulated genes (PD-L1 and A3H) together with an apoptosis associated gene PD-1 expressions in FIPV infected CRFK cells and in PBMCs from healthy and FIP diagnosed cats produced concordant results with transcriptome data.
CONCLUSION:
The possible roles of these genes, and their importance in feline coronaviruses infection, are discussed.
The mosquito-borne chikungunya virus (CHIKV) causes chikungunya fever, with clinical presentations such as severe back and small joint pain, and debilitating arthritis associated with crippling pains that persist for weeks and even years. Although there are several studies to evaluate the efficacy of drugs against CHIKV, the treatment for chikungunya fever is mainly symptom-based and no effective licensed vaccine or antiviral are available. Here, we investigated the antiviral activity of three types of flavonoids against CHIKV in vitro replication. Three compounds: silymarin, quercetin and kaempferol were evaluated for their in vitro antiviral activities against CHIKV using a CHIKV replicon cell line and clinical isolate of CHIKV of Central/East African genotype. A cytopathic effect inhibition assay was used to determine their activities on CHIKV viral replication and quantitative reverse transcription PCR was used to calculate virus yield. Antiviral activity of effective compound was further investigated by evaluation of CHIKV protein expression using western blotting for CHIKV nsP1, nsP3, and E2E1 proteins. Briefly, silymarin exhibited significant antiviral activity against CHIKV, reducing both CHIKV replication efficiency and down-regulating production of viral proteins involved in replication. This study may have important consequence for broaden the chance of getting the effective antiviral for CHIKV infection.
Enadenotucirev (EnAd) is a group B oncolytic adenovirus developed for systemic delivery and currently undergoing clinical evaluation for advanced cancer therapy. For differentiated carcinomas, systemic delivery would likely expose virus particles to the basolateral surface of cancer cells rather than the apical surface encountered during natural infection. Here, we compare the ability of EnAd and adenovirus type-5 (Ad5) to infect polarised colorectal carcinoma cells from the apical or basolateral surfaces. Whereas Ad5 infection was more efficient via the apical than basolateral surface, EnAd readily infected cells from either surface. Progeny particles from EnAd were released preferentially via the apical surface for all cell lines and routes of infection. These data further support the utility of group B adenoviruses for systemic delivery and suggest that progeny virus are more likely to be released into the tumour rather than back through the basolateral surface into the blood stream.
Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) with tropism for mucosal epithelia are the major aetiological factors in cervical cancer. Most cancers are associated with so-called high-risk HPV types, in particular HPV16, and constitutive expression of the HPV16 E6 and E7 oncoproteins is critical for malignant transformation in infected keratinocytes. E6 and E7 bind to and inactivate the cellular tumour suppressors p53 and Rb, respectively, thus delaying differentiation and inducing proliferation in suprabasal keratinocytes to enable HPV replication. One member of the Rb family, p130, appears to be a particularly important target for E7 in promoting S-phase entry. Recent evidence indicates that p130 regulates cell-cycle progression as part of a large protein complex termed DREAM. The composition of DREAM is cell cycle-regulated, associating with E2F4 and p130 in G0/G1 and with the B-myb transcription factor in S/G2. In this study, we addressed whether p130-DREAM is disrupted in HPV16-transformed cervical cancer cells and whether this is a critical function for E6/E7. We found that p130-DREAM was greatly diminished in HPV16-transformed cervical carcinoma cells (CaSki and SiHa) compared with control cell lines; however, when E6/E7 expression was targeted by specific small hairpin RNAs, p130-DREAM was reformed and the cell cycle was arrested. We further demonstrated that the profound G1 arrest in E7-depleted CaSki cells was dependent on p130-DREAM reformation by also targeting the expression of the DREAM component Lin-54 and p130. The results show that continued HPV16 E6/E7 expression is necessary in cervical cancer cells to prevent cell-cycle arrest by a repressive p130-DREAM complex.
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women. Infection by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main aetiology for the development of cervical cancer. Infection by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) and the integration of the HPV genome into the host chromosome of cervical epithelial cells are key early events in the neoplastic progression of cervical lesions. The viral oncoproteins, mainly E6 and E7, are responsible for the initial changes in epithelial cells. The viral proteins inactivate two main tumour suppressor proteins, p53, and retinoblastoma (pRb). Inactivation of these host proteins disrupts both the DNA repair mechanisms and apoptosis, leading to rapid cell proliferation. Multiple genes involved in DNA repair, cell proliferation, growth factor activity, angiogenesis, as well as mitogenesis genes become highly expressed in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cancer. This genomic instability encourages HPV-infected cells to progress towards invasive carcinoma. The key molecular events involved in cervical carcinogenesis will be discussed in this review.
The bursa of Fabricius is critical for B cell development and differentiation in chick embryos. This study describes the production in vitro, from dissociated cell suspensions, of cellular agglomerates with functional similarities to the chicken bursa. Co-cultivation of epithelial and lymphoid cells obtained from embryos at the appropriate developmental stage regularly led to agglomerate formation within 48 hours. These agglomerates resembled bursal tissue in having lymphoid clusters overlaid by well organized epithelium. Whereas lymphocytes within agglomerates were predominantly Bu-1a(+), a majority of those emigrating onto the supporting membrane were Bu-1a(-) and IgM(+). Both agglomerates and emigrant cells expressed activation-induced deaminase with levels increasing after 24 hours. Emigrating cells were actively proliferating at a rate in excess of both the starting cell population and the population of cells remaining in agglomerates. The potential usefulness of this system for investigating the response of bursal tissue to avian Newcastle disease virus (strain AF2240) was examined.
The prevalence and cellular distribution of human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) in archival labial salivary glands was analysed for virus-specific DNA sequences by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridization signals. In addition, the cellular expression of HHV-7-encoded protein was detected by immunohistochemical staining with a virus-specific monoclonal antibody. Eleven of 20 samples were positive for the HHV-7 DNA sequence by PCR. Eighteen of 20 tissues analysed by in situ hybridization showed signals in ductal, serous and mucous cells. Some nuclei of these cells and also the myoepithelial population were positive. In immunolocalization studies, all 20 salivary glands consistently showed HHV-7-expressed protein in the cytoplasm of ductal cuboidal and columnar cells. The protein was also found in the cytoplasm of mucous and serous acinar cells that were immunopositive for HHV-7. The observations are consistent with the suggestion that the labial salivary gland is a site for virus replication, potential persistence and a source of infective HHV-7 in saliva.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes infectious mononucleosis and is associated with epithelial-cell cancers and B cell lymphomas. An effective EBV vaccine is not available. We found that antibodies to the EBV glycoprotein gH/gL complex were the principal components in human plasma that neutralized infection of epithelial cells and that antibodies to gH/gL and gp42 contributed to B cell neutralization. Immunization of mice and nonhuman primates with nanoparticle vaccines that displayed components of the viral-fusion machinery EBV gH/gL or gH/gL/gp42 elicited antibodies that potently neutralized both epithelial-cell and B cell infection. Immune serum from nonhuman primates inhibited EBV-glycoprotein-mediated fusion of epithelial cells and B cells and targeted an epitope critical for virus-cell fusion. Therefore, unlike the leading EBV gp350 vaccine candidate, which only protects B cells from infection, these EBV nanoparticle vaccines elicit antibodies that inhibit the virus-fusion apparatus and provide cell-type-independent protection from virus infection.
Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) causes hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD), which may be complicated by fatal encephalomyelitis. Although fecal-oral or oral-oral routes are important in person-to-person transmission, how viral shedding and exposure may predispose individuals to infection remains unknown. We investigated person-to-person transmission by using a model of HFMD and encephalomyelitis based on EV-A71 oral infection of 2-week-old hamsters. Animals (index animals) infected with 104 50% cell culture infective doses of virus uniformly developed severe disease four days post-infection (dpi), whereas littermate contacts developed severe disease after six to seven days of exposure to index animals. Virus was detected in oral washes and feces at 3-4 dpi in index animals and at three to eight days after exposure to index animals in littermate contact animals. In a second experiment, non-littermate contact animals exposed for 8 or 12 h to index animals developed the disease six and four days post-exposure, respectively. Tissues from killed index and contact animals, studied by light microscopy, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, exhibited mild inflammatory lesions and/or viral antigens/RNA in the squamous epithelia of the oral cavity, tongue, paws, skin, esophagus, gastric epithelium, salivary glands, lacrimal glands, central nervous system neurons, muscles (skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscles) and liver. Orally shed viruses were probably derived from infected oral mucosa and salivary glands, whereas fecal viruses may have derived from these sites as well as from esophageal and gastric epithelia. Asymptomatic seroconversion in exposed mother hamsters was demonstrated. Our hamster model should be useful in studying person-to-person EV-A71 transmission and how drugs and vaccines may interrupt transmission.