St. Patrick Reid

Mutations Abrogating VP35 Interaction with Double-Stranded RNA Render Ebola Virus Avirulent in Guinea Pigs

ABSTRACT Ebola virus (EBOV) protein VP35 is a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) binding inhibitor of host interferon (IFN)-α/β responses that also functions as a viral polymerase cofactor. Recent structural studies identified key features, including a central basic patch, required for VP35 dsRNA binding activity. To address the functional significance of these VP35 structural features for EBOV replication and pathogenesis, two point mutations, K319A/R322A, that abrogate VP35 dsRNA binding activity and severely impair its suppression of IFN-α/β production were identified. Solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography reveal minimal structural perturbations in the K319A/R322A VP35 double mutant and suggest that loss of basic charge leads to altered function. Recombinant EBOVs encoding the mutant VP35 exhibit, relative to wild-type VP35 viruses, minimal growth attenuation in IFN-defective Vero cells but severe impairment in IFN-competent cells. In guinea pigs, the VP35 mutant virus revealed a complete loss of virulence. Strikingly, the VP35 mutant virus effectively immunized animals against subsequent wild-type EBOV challenge. These in vivo studies, using recombinant EBOV viruses, combined with the accompanying biochemical and structural analyses directly correlate VP35 dsRNA binding and IFN inhibition functions with viral pathogenesis. Moreover, these studies provide a framework for the development of antivirals targeting this critical EBOV virulence factor.

Ebolavirus VP24 binding to karyopherins is required for inhibition of interferon signaling.

ABSTRACT The Ebolavirus VP24 protein counteracts alpha/beta interferon (IFN-α/β) and IFN-γ signaling by blocking the nuclear accumulation of tyrosine-phosphorylated STAT1 (PY-STAT1). According to the proposed model, VP24 binding to members of the NPI-1 subfamily of karyopherin alpha (KPNα) nuclear localization signal receptors prevents their binding to PY-STAT1, thereby preventing PY-STAT1 nuclear accumulation. This study now identifies two domains of VP24 required for inhibition of IFN-β-induced gene expression and PY-STAT1 nuclear accumulation. We demonstrate that loss of function correlates with loss of binding to KPNα proteins. Thus, the VP24 IFN antagonist function requires the ability of VP24 to interact with KPNα.

Identification of an antioxidant small-molecule with broad-spectrum antiviral activity.

The highly lethal filoviruses, Ebola and Marburg cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates. To date there are no licensed vaccines or therapeutics to counter these infections. Identifying novel pathways and host targets that play an essential role during infection will provide potential targets to develop therapeutics. Small molecule chemical screening for Ebola virus inhibitors resulted in identification of a compound NSC 62914. The compound was found to exhibit anti-filovirus activity in cell-based assays and in vivo protected mice following challenge with Ebola or Marburg viruses. Additionally, the compound was found to inhibit Rift Valley fever virus, Lassa virus and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus in cell-based assays. Investigation of the mechanism of action of the compound revealed that it had antioxidant properties. Specifically, compound NSC 62914 was found to act as a scavenger of reactive oxygen species, and to up-regulate oxidative stress-induced genes. However, four known antioxidant compounds failed to inhibit filovirus infection, thus suggesting that the mechanistic basis of the antiviral function of the antioxidant NSC 62914 may involve modulation of multiple signaling pathways/targets.

A Single Phosphorodiamidate Morpholino Oligomer Targeting VP24 Protects Rhesus Monkeys against Lethal Ebola Virus Infection

ABSTRACT Ebola viruses (EBOV) cause severe disease in humans and nonhuman primates with high mortality rates and continue to emerge in new geographic locations, including several countries in West Africa, the site of a large ongoing outbreak. Phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs) are synthetic antisense molecules that are able to target mRNAs in a sequence-specific fashion and suppress translation through steric hindrance. We previously showed that the use of PMOs targeting a combination of VP35 and VP24 protected rhesus monkeys from lethal EBOV infection. Surprisingly, the present study revealed that a PMOplus compound targeting VP24 alone was sufficient to confer protection from lethal EBOV infection but that a PMOplus targeting VP35 alone resulted in no protection. This study further substantiates recent data demonstrating that VP24 may be a key virulence factor encoded by EBOV and suggests that VP24 is a promising target for the development of effective anti-EBOV countermeasures. IMPORTANCE Several West African countries are currently being ravaged by an outbreak of Ebola virus (EBOV) that has become a major epidemic affecting not only these African countries but also Europe and the United States. A better understanding of the mechanism of virulence of EBOV is important for the development of effective treatments, as no licensed treatments or vaccines for EBOV disease are currently available. This study of phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs) targeting the mRNAs of two different EBOV proteins, alone and in combination, demonstrated that targeting a single protein was effective at conferring a significant survival benefit in an EBOV lethal primate model. Future development of PMOs with efficacy against EBOV will be simplified if only one PMO is required instead of a combination, particularly in terms of regulatory approval. Several West African countries are currently being ravaged by an outbreak of Ebola virus (EBOV) that has become a major epidemic affecting not only these African countries but also Europe and the United States. A better understanding of the mechanism of virulence of EBOV is important for the development of effective treatments, as no licensed treatments or vaccines for EBOV disease are currently available. This study of phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs) targeting the mRNAs of two different EBOV proteins, alone and in combination, demonstrated that targeting a single protein was effective at conferring a significant survival benefit in an EBOV lethal primate model. Future development of PMOs with efficacy against EBOV will be simplified if only one PMO is required instead of a combination, particularly in terms of regulatory approval.

L1000CDS2: LINCS L1000 characteristic direction signatures search engine

The library of integrated network-based cellular signatures (LINCS) L1000 data set currently comprises of over a million gene expression profiles of chemically perturbed human cell lines. Through unique several intrinsic and extrinsic benchmarking schemes, we demonstrate that processing the L1000 data with the characteristic direction (CD) method significantly improves signal to noise compared with the MODZ method currently used to compute L1000 signatures. The CD processed L1000 signatures are served through a state-of-the-art web-based search engine application called L1000CDS2. The L1000CDS2 search engine provides prioritization of thousands of small-molecule signatures, and their pairwise combinations, predicted to either mimic or reverse an input gene expression signature using two methods. The L1000CDS2 search engine also predicts drug targets for all the small molecules profiled by the L1000 assay that we processed. Targets are predicted by computing the cosine similarity between the L1000 small-molecule signatures and a large collection of signatures extracted from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) for single-gene perturbations in mammalian cells. We applied L1000CDS2 to prioritize small molecules that are predicted to reverse expression in 670 disease signatures also extracted from GEO, and prioritized small molecules that can mimic expression of 22 endogenous ligand signatures profiled by the L1000 assay. As a case study, to further demonstrate the utility of L1000CDS2, we collected expression signatures from human cells infected with Ebola virus at 30, 60 and 120 min. Querying these signatures with L1000CDS2 we identified kenpaullone, a GSK3B/CDK2 inhibitor that we show, in subsequent experiments, has a dose-dependent efficacy in inhibiting Ebola infection in vitro without causing cellular toxicity in human cell lines. In summary, the L1000CDS2 tool can be applied in many biological and biomedical settings, while improving the extraction of knowledge from the LINCS L1000 resource.

HSPA5 is an essential host factor for Ebola virus infection.

Development of novel strategies targeting the highly virulent ebolaviruses is urgently required. A proteomic study identified the ER chaperone HSPA5 as an ebolavirus-associated host protein. Here, we show using the HSPA5 inhibitor (-)- epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) that the chaperone is essential for virus infection, thereby demonstrating a functional significance for the association. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo gene targeting impaired viral replication and protected animals in a lethal infection model. These findings demonstrate that HSPA5 is vital for replication and can serve as a viable target for the design of host-based countermeasures.

Sphingosine kinase 2 is a chikungunya virus host factor co-localized with the viral replication complex

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging alphavirus which causes severe and prolonged arthralgic febrile illness. The recent global spread of the virus and lack of approved therapeutic options makes it imperative to gain greater insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying CHIKV pathogenesis, in particular host factors recruited by the virus. In the current study, we identify sphingosine kinase 2 (SK2) as a CHIKV host factor co-localized with the viral replication complex (VRC) during infection. SK2 was demonstrated to co-localize with viral RNA and nonstructural proteins. Targeted impairment of SK2 expression or function significantly inhibited CHIKV infection. Furthermore, affinity purification-mass spectrometry studies revealed that SK2 associates with a number of proteins involved in cellular gene expression specifically during viral infection, suggesting a role in replication. Collectively these results identify SK2 as a novel CHIKV host factor.Emerging Microbes & Infections (2015) 4, e61; doi:10.1038/emi.2015.61; published online 14 October 2015

AR-12 Inhibits Multiple Chaperones Concomitant With Stimulating Autophagosome Formation Collectively Preventing Virus Replication

We have recently demonstrated that AR‐12 (OSU‐03012) reduces the function and ATPase activities of multiple HSP90 and HSP70 family chaperones. Combined knock down of chaperones or AR‐12 treatment acted to reduce the expression of virus receptors and essential glucosidase proteins. Combined knock down of chaperones or AR‐12 treatment inactivated mTOR and elevated ATG13 S318 phosphorylation concomitant with inducing an endoplasmic reticulum stress response that in an eIF2α—dependent fashion increased Beclin1 and LC3 expression and autophagosome formation. Over‐expression of chaperones prevented the reduction in receptor/glucosidase expression, mTOR inactivation, the ER stress response, and autophagosome formation. AR‐12 reduced the reproduction of viruses including Mumps, Influenza, Measles, Junín, Rubella, HIV (wild type and protease resistant), and Ebola, an effect replicated by knock down of multiple chaperone proteins. AR‐12—stimulated the co‐localization of Influenza, EBV and HIV virus proteins with LC3 in autophagosomes and reduced viral protein association with the chaperones HSP90, HSP70, and GRP78. Knock down of Beclin1 suppressed drug‐induced autophagosome formation and reduced the anti‐viral protection afforded by AR‐12. In an animal model of hemorrhagic fever virus, a transient exposure of animals to low doses of AR‐12 doubled animal survival from ∼30% to ∼60% and suppressed liver damage as measured by ATL, GGT and LDH release. Thus through inhibition of chaperone protein functions; reducing the production, stability and processing of viral proteins; and stimulating autophagosome formation/viral protein degradation, AR‐12 acts as a broad‐specificity anti‐viral drug in vitro and in vivo. We argue future patient studies with AR‐12 are warranted. J. Cell. Physiol. 231: 2286–2302, 2016.

Unconventional Secretion of Ebola Virus Matrix Protein VP40

The Ebola virus matrix protein VP40 plays an essential role in virus assembly and budding. In this study we reveal that transient VP40 expression results in the release into the culture medium of substantial amounts of soluble monomeric VP40 in addition to the release of virus-like particles containing an oligomeric form of this protein as previously described. We show that VP40 secretion is endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi-independent and is not associated with cell death. Soluble VP40 was observed during Ebola virus infection of cells and was also found in the serum of virus-infected animals albeit in lower amounts. Unconventional secretion of VP40 may therefore play a role in Ebola virus pathogenicity.

AR-12 Inhibits Chaperone Proteins Preventing Virus Replication and the Accumulation of Toxic Misfolded Proteins

Laurence Booth1, Jane L Roberts1, Heath Ecroyd2, St. Patrick Reid3, Stefan Proniuk4, Alexander Zukiwski4, Abraham Jacob5, Elsa Damonte6, María J Tuñón7 and Paul Dent1* 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA 2School of Biological Sciences and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia 3Molecular and Translational Science, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21702-5011, USA