Mark E. Peeples

Glycosaminoglycan Sulfation Requirements for Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection

ABSTRACT Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) on the surface of cultured cells are important in the first step of efficient respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. We evaluated the importance of sulfation, the major biosynthetic modification of GAGs, using an improved recombinant green fluorescent protein-expressing RSV (rgRSV) to assay infection. Pretreatment of HEp-2 cells with 50 mM sodium chlorate, a selective inhibitor of sulfation, for 48 h prior to inoculation reduced the efficiency of rgRSV infection to 40%. Infection of a CHO mutant cell line deficient in N-sulfation was three times less efficient than infection of the parental CHO cell line, indicating thatN-sulfation is important. In contrast, infection of a cell line deficient in 2-O-sulfation was as efficient as infection of the parental cell line, indicating that 2-O-sulfation is not required for RSV infection. Incubating RSV with the purified soluble heparin, the prototype GAG, before inoculation had previously been shown to neutralize its infectivity. Here we tested chemically modified heparin chains that lack theirN-, C6-O-, or C2-O-sulfate groups. Only heparin chains lacking the N-sulfate group lost the ability to neutralize infection, confirming thatN-sulfation, but not C6-O- or C2-O-sulfation, is important for RSV infection. Analysis of heparin fragments identified the 10-saccharide chain as the minimum size that can neutralize RSV infectivity. Taken together, these results show that, while sulfate modification is important for the ability of GAGs to mediate RSV infection, only certain sulfate groups are required. This specificity indicates that the role of cell surface GAGs in RSV infection is not based on a simple charge interaction between the virus and sulfate groups but instead involves a specific GAG structural configuration that includes N-sulfate and a minimum of 10 saccharide subunits. These elements, in addition to iduronic acid demonstrated previously (L. K. Hallak, P. L. Collins, W. Knudson, and M. E. Peeples, Virology 271:264–275, 2000), partially define cell surface molecules important for RSV infection of cultured cells.

Functional Analysis of Recombinant Respiratory Syncytial Virus Deletion Mutants Lacking the Small Hydrophobic and/or Attachment Glycoprotein Gene

ABSTRACT Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) produces three envelope glycoproteins, the attachment glycoprotein (G), the fusion (F) protein, and the small hydrophobic (SH) protein. It had been assumed, by analogy with other paramyxoviruses, that the G and F proteins would be required for the first two steps of viral entry, attachment and fusion. However, following repeated passage in cell culture, a viable mutant RSV that lacked both the G and SH genes was isolated (R. A. Karron, D. A. Buonagurio, A. F. Georgiu, S. S. Whitehead, J. E. Adamus, M. L. Clements-Mann, D. O. Harris, V. B. Randolph, S. A. Udem, B. R. Murphy, and M. S. Sidhu, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94:13961–13966, 1997). To explore the roles of the G, F, and SH proteins in virion assembly, function, and cytopathology, we have modified the full-length RSV cDNA and used it to rescue infectious RSV lacking the G and/or SH genes. The three resulting viruses and the parental virus all contain the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene that serves to identify infected cells. We have used purified, radiolabeled virions to examine virus production and function, in conjunction with GFP to quantify infected cells. We found that the G protein enhances virion binding to target cells but plays no role in penetration after attachment. The G protein also enhances cell-to-cell fusion, presumably via cell-to-cell binding, and enhances virion assembly or release. The presence or absence of the G protein in virions has no obvious effect on the content of F protein or host cell proteins in the virion. In growth curve experiments, the viruses lacking the G protein produced viral titers that were at least 10-fold lower than titers of viruses containing the G protein. This reduction is due in large part to the less efficient release of virions and the lower infectivity of the released virions. In the absence of the G protein, virus expressing both the F and SH proteins displayed somewhat smaller plaques, lower fusion activity, and slower viral entry than the virus expressing the F protein alone, suggesting that the SH protein has a negative effect on virus fusion in cell culture.

Newcastle disease virus selectively kills human tumor cells

Newcastle disease virus (NDV), strain 73-T, has previously been shown to be cytolytic to mouse tumor cells. In this study, we have evaluated the ability of NDV to replicate in and kill human tumor cells in culture and in athymic mice. Plaque assays were used to determine the cytolytic activity of NDV on six human tumor cell lines, fibrosarcoma (HT1080), osteosarcoma (KHOS), cervical carcinoma (KB8-5-11), bladder carcinoma (HCV29T), neuroblastoma (IMR32), and Wilms tumor (G104), and on nine different normal human fibroblast lines. NDV formed plaques on all tumor cells tested as well as on chick embryo cells (CEC), the native host for NDV. Plaques did not form on any of the normal fibroblast lines. To detect NDV replication, virus yield assays were performed which measured virus particles in infected cell culture supernatants. Virus yield increased 10,000-fold within 24 hr in tumor and CEC supernatants. Titers remained near zero in normal fibroblast supernatants. In vivo tumoricidal activity was evaluated in athymic nude Balb-c mice by subcutaneous injection of 9 x 10(6) tumor cells followed by intralesional injection of either live or heat-killed NDV (1.0 x 10(6) plaque forming units [PFU]), or medium. After live NDV treatment, tumor regression occurred in 10 out of 11 mice bearing KB8-5-11 tumors, 8 out of 8 with HT-1080 tumors, and 6 out of 7 with IMR-32 tumors. After treatment with heat-killed NDV no regression occurred (P less than 0.01, Fishers exact test). Nontumor-bearing mice injected with 1.0 x 10(8) PFU of NDV remained healthy. These results indicate that NDV efficiently and selectively replicates in and kills tumor cells, but not normal cells, and that intralesional NDV causes complete tumor regression in athymic mice with a high therapeutic index.

Infection of Ciliated Cells by Human Parainfluenza Virus Type 3 in an In Vitro Model of Human Airway Epithelium

ABSTRACT We constructed a human recombinant parainfluenza virus type 3 (rPIV3) that expresses enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) and used this virus, rgPIV3, to characterize PIV3 infection of an established in vitro model of human pseudostratified mucociliary airway epithelium (HAE). The apical surface of HAE was highly susceptible to rgPIV3 infection, whereas only occasional cells were infected when virus was applied to the basolateral surface. Infection involved exclusively ciliated epithelial cells. There was little evidence of virus-mediated cytopathology and no spread of the virus beyond the ciliated cell types. Infection of ciliated cells by rgPIV3 was sensitive to a neuraminidase specific for α2-6-linked sialic acid residues, but not to a neuraminidase that cleaves α2-3- and α2-8-linked sialic acid residues. This provided evidence that rgPIV3 utilizes α2-6-linked sialic acid residues for initiating infection, a specificity also described for human influenza viruses. The PIV3 fusion (F) glycoprotein was trafficked exclusively to the apical surface of ciliated cells, which also was the site of release of progeny virus. F glycoprotein localized predominately to the membranes of the cilial shafts, suggesting that progeny viruses may bud from cilia per se. The polarized trafficking of F glycoprotein to the apical surface also likely restricts its interaction with neighboring cells and could account for the observed lack of cell-cell fusion. HAE derived from cystic fibrosis patients was not more susceptible to rgPIV3 infection but did exhibit limited spread of virus due to impaired movement of lumenal secretions due to compromised function of the cilia.

Newcastle disease virus therapy of human tumor xenografts: antitumor effects of local or systemic administration.

Previously we showed that a single local injection of the avian paramyxovirus Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strain 73-T caused long-lasting, complete tumor regression of human neuroblastoma and fibrosarcoma xenografts in athymic mice. Here we report the antitumor effects of NDV administered by either the intratumoral (IT) route to treat a variety of human carcinoma xenografts or by the systemic (intraperitoneal, IP) route to treat neuroblastoma xenografts (6.5-12 mm in diameter). For IT treatments, mice were randomized into treatment groups and given a single IT injection of NDV 73-T, vehicle (phosphate buffered saline, PBS), or UV-inactivated NDV. For systemic therapy, mice (n=18) with subcutaneous IMR-32 human neuroblastoma xenografts received IP injections of NDV (5 x 10(9) PFU). Significant tumor growth inhibition (77-96%) was seen for epidermoid (KB8-5-11), colon (SW620 and HT29), large cell lung (NCIH460), breast (SKBR3), prostate (PC3), and low passage colon (MM17387) carcinoma xenografts treated IT with NDV. In all cases, tumors treated IT with PBS or replication-incompetent, UV-inactivated NDV displayed rapid tumor growth. After a single IP injection of NDV, complete regression of IMR-32 neuroblastomas was observed in 9 of 12 mice without recurrence for the 3-9 month follow-up period. Six mice with recurrent neuroblastomas after one IP injection received one to three additional IP treatments with NDV. Three of these six mice showed complete regression without recurrence. These data show that: (1) NDV administered either IT or IP is an effective antitumor therapy in this system, (2) replication competency is necessary for maximal effect, and (3) multiple NDV doses can be more effective than a single dose. These studies provide further rationale for the preclinical study of NDV as an oncolytic agent.

Requirements for the Assembly and Release of Newcastle Disease Virus-Like Particles

ABSTRACT Paramyxoviruses, such as Newcastle disease virus (NDV), assemble in and bud from plasma membranes of infected cells. To explore the role of each of the NDV structural proteins in virion assembly and release, virus-like particles (VLPs) released from avian cells expressing all possible combinations of the nucleoprotein (NP), membrane or matrix protein (M), an uncleaved fusion protein (F-K115Q), and hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein were characterized for densities, protein content, and efficiencies of release. Coexpression of all four proteins resulted in the release of VLPs with densities and efficiencies of release (1.18 to 1.16 g/cm3 and 83.8% ± 1.1%, respectively) similar to those of authentic virions. Expression of M protein alone, but not NP, F-K115Q, or HN protein individually, resulted in efficient VLP release, and expression of all different combinations of proteins in the absence of M protein did not result in particle release. Expression of any combination of proteins that included M protein yielded VLPs, although with different densities and efficiencies of release. To address the roles of NP, F, and HN proteins in VLP assembly, the interactions of proteins in VLPs formed with different combinations of viral proteins were characterized by coimmunoprecipitation. The colocalization of M protein with cell surface F and HN proteins in cells expressing all combinations of viral proteins was characterized. Taken together, the results show that M protein is necessary and sufficient for NDV budding. Furthermore, they suggest that M-HN and M-NP interactions are responsible for incorporation of HN and NP proteins into VLPs and that F protein is incorporated indirectly due to interactions with NP and HN protein.

Plasticity and Virus Specificity of the Airway Epithelial Cell Immune Response during Respiratory Virus Infection

ABSTRACT Airway epithelial cells (AECs) provide the first line of defense in the respiratory tract and are the main target of respiratory viruses. Here, using oligonucleotide and protein arrays, we analyze the infection of primary polarized human AEC cultures with influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and we show that the immune response of AECs is quantitatively and qualitatively virus specific. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) specifically induced by influenza virus and not by RSV included those encoding interferon B1 (IFN-B1), type III interferons (interleukin 28A [IL-28A], IL-28B, and IL-29), interleukins (IL-6, IL-1A, IL-1B, IL-23A, IL-17C, and IL-32), and chemokines (CCL2, CCL8, and CXCL5). Lack of type I interferon or STAT1 signaling decreased the expression and secretion of cytokines and chemokines by the airway epithelium. We also observed strong basolateral polarization of the secretion of cytokines and chemokines by human and murine AECs during infection. Importantly, the antiviral response of human AECs to influenza virus or to RSV correlated with the infection signature obtained from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from patients with acute influenza or RSV bronchiolitis, respectively. IFI27 (also known as ISG12) was identified as a biomarker of respiratory virus infection in both AECs and PBMCs. In addition, the extent of the transcriptional perturbation in PBMCs correlated with the clinical disease severity. Our results demonstrate that the human airway epithelium mounts virus-specific immune responses that are likely to determine the subsequent systemic immune responses and suggest that the absence of epithelial immune mediators after RSV infection may contribute to explaining the inadequacy of systemic immunity to the virus.

RhoA Signaling Is Required for Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Induced Syncytium Formation and Filamentous Virion Morphology

ABSTRACT Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important human pathogen that can cause severe and life-threatening respiratory infections in infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised adults. RSV infection of HEp-2 cells induces the activation of RhoA, a small GTPase. We therefore asked whether RhoA signaling is important for RSV replication or syncytium formation. The treatment of HEp-2 cells with Clostridium botulinum C3, an enzyme that ADP-ribosylates and specifically inactivates RhoA, inhibited RSV-induced syncytium formation and cell-to-cell fusion, although similar levels of PFU were released into the medium and viral protein expression levels were equivalent. Treatment with another inhibitor of RhoA signaling, the Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632, yielded similar results. Scanning electron microscopy of C3-treated infected cells showed reduced numbers of single blunted filaments, in contrast to the large clumps of long filaments in untreated infected cells. These data suggest that RhoA signaling is associated with filamentous virus morphology, cell-to-cell fusion, and syncytium formation but is dispensable for the efficient infection and production of infectious virus in vitro. Next, we developed a semiquantitative method to measure spherical and filamentous virus particles by using sucrose gradient velocity sedimentation. Fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the separation of spherical and filamentous forms of infectious virus into two identifiable peaks. The C3 treatment of RSV-infected cells resulted in a shift to relatively more spherical virions than those from untreated cells. These data suggest that viral filamentous protuberances characteristic of RSV infection are associated with RhoA signaling, are important for filamentous virion morphology, and may play a role in initiating cell-to-cell fusion.

Nucleotide sequence and expression of the human gene encoding apolipoprotein H (β2-glycoprotein I)

Human apolipoprotein H (ApoH), also called beta 2-glycoprotein I, is a 50-kDa serum glycoprotein whose function is not clearly defined. We have cloned and sequenced ApoH cDNAs both from human liver and from a human hepatoma cell line (HepG2). Both cDNA sequences predict a protein 345 amino acids (aa) in length. This sequence includes a 19-aa hydrophobic, N-terminal signal sequence which is not present in the mature protein [Lozier et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81 (1984) 3640-3644]. It differs from this previously reported aa sequence at two positions, both of which strengthen the conservation among the four short consensus repeats within the ApoH molecule. COS-1 cells transiently transfected with the ApoH cDNA in a eukaryotic expression vector produced a single species of ApoH mRNA and secreted in the ApoH protein. The level of ApoH mRNA expressed by HepG2 cells is downregulated by incubation with inflammatory mediators, implying that ApoH is a negative acute-phase protein.

Integrity of Membrane Lipid Rafts Is Necessary for the Ordered Assembly and Release of Infectious Newcastle Disease Virus Particles

ABSTRACT Membrane lipid raft domains are thought to be sites of assembly for many enveloped viruses. The roles of both classical lipid rafts and lipid rafts associated with the membrane cytoskeleton in the assembly of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) were investigated. The lipid raft-associated proteins caveolin-1, flotillin-2, and actin were incorporated into virions, while the non-lipid raft-associated transferrin receptor was excluded. Kinetic analyses of the distribution of viral proteins in lipid rafts, as defined by detergent-resistant membranes (DRMs), in non-lipid raft membranes, and in virions showed an accumulation of HN, F, and NP viral proteins in lipid rafts early after synthesis. Subsequently, these proteins exited the DRMs and were recovered quantitatively in purified virions, while levels of these proteins in detergent-soluble cell fractions remained relatively constant. Cholesterol depletion of infected cells drastically altered the association of viral proteins with DRMs and resulted in an enhanced release of virus particles with reduced infectivity. Decreased infectivity was not due to effects on subsequent virus entry, since the extraction of cholesterol from intact virus did not significantly reduce infectivity. Particles released from cholesterol-depleted cells had very heterogeneous densities and altered ratios of NP and glycoproteins, demonstrating structural abnormalities which potentially contributed to their lowered infectivity. Taken together, these results indicate that lipid rafts, including cytoskeleton-associated lipid rafts, are sites of NDV assembly and that these domains are important for ordered assembly and release of infectious Newcastle disease virus particles.