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S Goodbourn

Publications and source records attributed to S Goodbourn.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Paramyxoviridae use distinct virus-specific mechanisms to circumvent the interferon response.

STAT1 and STAT2 are cellular transcription factors involved in interferon (IFN) signaling and are thus critical for the IFN-induced antiviral state. We have previously shown that the paramyxovirus Simian Virus 5 (SV5) blocks both type I and type II interferon (IFN) signaling by targeting STAT1 for proteasome-mediated degradation. To determine whether this is a feature common to all Paramyxoviridae, we examined the abilities of SV5, Sendai virus (SeV), human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and human parainfluenza viruses types 2 and 3 (hPIV2 and hPIV3, respectively) to block interferon signaling. The results showed that in reporter assays SV5, SeV, and hPIV3 blocked both type I and type II IFN-signaling; hPIV2 blocked type I but not type II IFN-signaling; and RSV failed to block either type I or type II IFN-signaling. In agreement with these results, SV5 and SeV inhibited the formation of the ISGF3 and GAF transcription complexes (essential for type I and type II signaling, respectively). Surprisingly, although hPIV3 inhibited IFN-induction of the ISGF3 complex, GAF complexes were detected in hPIV3-infected cells. hPIV2 also blocked the formation of the ISGF3 complex but not the GAF complex, whereas RSV failed to block the induction of either complex. SV5 was the only virus that caused the degradation of STAT1. Indeed, in SeV- and hPIV3-infected cells STAT1 was phosphorylated on tyrosine 701 (Y701), a characteristic of IFN receptor activation. However, consistent with these viruses blocking IFN signaling downstream of receptor activation, there was a specific reduction in the levels of serine 727 (S727)-phosphorylated forms of STAT1alpha in SeV- and hPIV3-infected cells. In contrast both (Y701)- and (S727)-phosphorylated forms of STAT1 were detected in hPIV2-infected cells but there was a specific loss of STAT2. Both STAT1 (including Y701- and S727-phosphorylated forms) and STAT2 could readily be detected in RSV-infected cells. Despite not being able to block type I or type II IFN signaling, RSV was able to replicate in human cells that produce and respond to IFN, suggesting that RSV must have an alternative method(s) for circumventing the IFN response. These results demonstrate that, although interference with IFN signaling is a common strategy among Paramyxovirinae, distinct virus-specific mechanisms are used to achieve this end.

Antiviral Agents↗

The V protein of simian virus 5 inhibits interferon signalling by targeting STAT1 for proteasome-mediated degradation.

To replicate in vivo, viruses must circumvent cellular antiviral defense mechanisms, including those induced by the interferons (IFNs). Here we demonstrate that simian virus 5 (SV5) blocks IFN signalling in human cells by inhibiting the formation of the IFN-stimulated gene factor 3 and gamma-activated factor transcription complexes that are involved in activating IFN-alpha/beta- and IFN-gamma-responsive genes, respectively. SV5 inhibits the formation of these complexes by specifically targeting STAT1, a component common to both transcription complexes, for proteasome-mediated degradation. Expression of the SV5 structural protein V, in the absence of other virus proteins, also inhibited IFN signalling and induced the degradation of STAT1. Following infection with SV5, STAT1 was degraded in the absence of virus protein synthesis and remained undetectable for up to 4 days postinfection. Furthermore, STAT1 was also degraded in IFN-pretreated cells, even though the cells were in an antiviral state. Since pretreatment of cells with IFN delayed but did not prevent virus replication and protein synthesis, these observations suggest that following infection of IFN-pretreated cells, SV5 remains viable within the cells until they eventually go out of the antiviral state.

Animals↗

Sendai virus and simian virus 5 block activation of interferon-responsive genes: importance for virus pathogenesis.

Sendai virus (SeV) is highly pathogenic for mice. In contrast, mice (including SCID mice) infected with simian virus 5 (SV5) showed no overt signs of disease. Evidence is presented that a major factor which prevented SV5 from productively infecting mice was its inability to circumvent the interferon (IFN) response in mice. Thus, in murine cells that produce and respond to IFN, SV5 protein synthesis was rapidly switched off. In marked contrast, once SeV protein synthesis began, it continued, even if the culture medium was supplemented with alpha/beta IFN (IFN-alpha/beta). However, in human cells, IFN-alpha/beta did not inhibit the replication of either SV5 or SeV once virus protein synthesis was established. To begin to address the molecular basis for these observations, the effects of SeV and SV5 infections on the activation of an IFN-alpha/beta-responsive promoter and on that of the IFN-beta promoter were examined in transient transfection experiments. The results demonstrated that (i) SeV, but not SV5, inhibited an IFN-alpha/beta-responsive promoter in murine cells; (ii) both SV5 and SeV inhibited the activation of an IFN-alpha/beta-responsive promoter in human cells; and (iii) in both human and murine cells, SeV was a strong inducer of the IFN-beta promoter, whereas SV5 was a poor inducer. The ability of SeV and SV5 to inhibit the activation of IFN-responsive genes in human cells was confirmed by RNase protection experiments. The importance of these results in terms of paramyxovirus pathogenesis is discussed.

Animals↗

CC-3052: a water-soluble analog of thalidomide and potent inhibitor of activation-induced TNF-alpha production.

The immunomodulatory drug thalidomide has been shown to be clinically useful in a number of situations due to its ability to inhibit TNF-alpha synthesis. However, its use is restricted by potentially serious side effects, including teratogenicity and neuorotoxicity; furthermore, insolubility may present problems in terms of systemic bioavailability. Recently, structural modifications of thalidomide have been designed enabling greatly enhanced anti-TNF-alpha activity in LPS-treated mice. In contrast to thalidomide (LPS-induced TNF-alpha IC50 approximately 200 microM in DMSO) and other analogs tested, one of these compounds, CC-3052 (IC50 approximately 1 microM in water), is water soluble. Furthermore, this analog exhibits increased stability in human plasma (t(1/2) approximately 17.5 vs 1.5 h for thalidomide) and appears to be nontoxic, nonmutagenic, and nonteratogenic. At pharmacologically active levels, cellular proliferation and LPS-induced IL-6 mRNA and IL-12p40 mRNA (as well as IL-1beta and IL-6 protein levels) in whole blood cultures were not affected; apparent inhibition of NK activity by CC-3052 was reversed upon addition of exogenous rTNF-alpha. In addition, IL-10 mRNA and protein levels were increased. These properties are consistent with results indicating inhibition of phosphodiesterase type IV activity by CC-3052. Furthermore, CC-3052 did not increase the degradation rate of macrophage TNF-alpha transcripts nor inhibit LPS-induced primary macrophage NF-kappaB activation. Taken together, the potency of selective TNF-alpha inhibition, water solubility, and increased plasma stability make CC-3052 an excellent candidate for further development and clinical evaluation for the treatment of TNF-alpha-mediated disease.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

STAT1 is inactivated by a caspase.

Apoptosis involves the activation of a cascade of interleukin-1beta converting enzyme-like proteases (caspases), a group of cysteine proteases related to the prototype interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme (caspase-1). These proteases cleave specific intracellular targets such as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, DNA-dependent protein kinase, and nuclear lamins. We show here that apoptosis can be induced by double-stranded RNA. The induction of apoptosis by double-stranded RNA and other agents leads to the cleavage by a caspase of the signal transducer and activator of transcription factor, STAT1 which is pivotal in the signal transduction pathways of the interferons and many other cytokines and growth factors. The product of this cleavage is no longer able to mediate interferon-activated signal transduction and the cleavage event may play a role in regulating the apoptosis response itself.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Human herpesvirus 8 encodes an interferon regulatory factor (IRF) homolog that represses IRF-1-mediated transcription.

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is the probable viral etiologic agent for Kaposi's sarcoma. The HHV-8 genome encodes viral interferon regulatory factor (vIRF), a gene product that has homology to the IRF family of transcription factors. We demonstrate that vIRF inhibits responses to type I and type II interferons and blocks IRF-1-mediated transcription. vIRF does not compete with IRF-1 for binding to DNA or complex directly with IRF-1. The ability of vIRF to block IRF-1-mediated transcription is independent of the DNA binding domains of both vIRF and IRF-1. These data suggest that vIRF may contribute to viral pathogenesis and cellular transformation by interfering with interferon- and IRF-1-mediated gene expression through a novel mechanism.

Base Sequence↗

Activation of the double-stranded-RNA-activated protein kinase and induction of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 by poly (I).poly (C) in endothelial cells.

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) induces the vascular cell adhesion molecule VCAM-1 to high levels of expression in human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVE) cells. Although VCAM-1 is also induced by the cytokine interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta), activation of the dsRNA-activated protein kinase (PKR) occurs only in response to incubation with dsRNA but not with IL-1 beta. Incubation of HUVE cells with the synthetic dsRNA, poly (I).poly (C), activates PKR with increased autophosphorylation, increased phosphorylation of the translation factor eIF2 alpha, and increased activation of the transcription factor NF-kappa B. Promoter analysis in HUVE cells using a VCAM-1 promoter linked to CAT reporter gene demonstrates that poly (I).poly (C) responsiveness resides in the minimal VCAM-1 promoter that contains two NF-kappa B sites, and deletion of the NF-kappa B sites eliminates basal and poly (I).poly (C)-induced CAT activity, supporting the importance of NF-kappa B in the poly (I).poly (C)-mediated induction of VCAM-1. In vitro studies using purified reagents demonstrate that PKR is capable of phosphorylating I kappa B alpha (the inhibitory subunit of NF-kappa B) in a dsRNA-dependent manner. This suggests that phosphorylation of I kappa B alpha by PKR could be an initial step in the activation of NF-kappa B by dsRNA. NF-kappa B is also activated by IL-1 beta in HUVE cells, but this activation occurs without increased PKR autophosphorylation or eIF2 alpha phosphorylation. Poly (I).poly (C) induces VCAM-1 mRNA levels that are dramatically higher and sustained longer than levels induced by IL-1 beta. Although phosphorylation of eIF2 alpha interferes with protein translation, sufficient VCAM-1 mRNA translation occurs in response to poly (I).poly (C) to yield VCAM-1 protein levels that are similar to levels that are induced by IL-1 beta. This suggests that the higher, sustained VCAM-1 mRNA levels that occur in response to incubation with poly (I).poly (C) compensate for the partial translational block resulting from increased eIF2 alpha phosphorylation. These studies indicate that transcriptional and translational regulatory events that occur in response to activation of PKR by dsRNA are important in the regulation of VCAM-1 gene expression in HUVE cells.

Cell Adhesion↗

Activating transcription factor-1 is a specific antagonist of the cyclic adenosine 3'.5'-monophosphate (cAMP) response element-binding protein-1-mediated response to cAMP.

We have investigated the molecular basis of the variability of the somatostatin cAMP response element (CRE) function in different cell lines. All cells tested contain detectable levels of the CRE-binding protein CREB-1, which mediates transactivation in response to the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase-A), in forms that can bind to a somatostatin CRE. Although both responsive and nonresponsive cells contain CREB-1 in heterodimers with activating transcription factor-1 (ATF-1), only cells that allow a cAMP response have a significant proportion of CREB-1 in a homodimeric form. Transfection experiments demonstrate that ATF-1 is capable of antagonizing CREB-1-dependent activation, suggesting that the ability of CREB-1 to mediate a cAMP response is down-regulated by heterodimer formation with ATF-1.

Activating Transcription Factor 1↗

A novel cyclic AMP response element-binding protein-1 (CREB-1) splice product may down-regulate CREB-1 activity.

In this report we identify novel spliced forms of cyclic AMP (cAMP) response element-binding protein-1 (CREB-1) mRNA. These forms contained an additional 17 nucleotide insert, which we refer to as the beta exon, located between exons 4 and 7 of the delta, and 5 and 7 of the alpha forms of CREB-1 transcript (nomenclature of Ruppert et al. 1992; EMBO Journal 11, 1503-1512). The inclusion of the beta exon led to the generation of mRNAs in which the frame of CREB-1 sequences 3' to the exon was shifted such that the encoded proteins terminate after the transactivation domain, but before the target serine for cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The beta exon-containing CREB-1 mRNAs were more abundant in tissues that respond poorly to cAMP, suggesting that the generation of beta CREB-1 mRNAs may contribute to the down-regulation of CREB-1 activity and cAMP responsiveness.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The beta-interferon promoter responds to priming through multiple independent regulatory elements.

The induction of beta-interferon is markedly enhanced in some cell types by a pretreatment with type I interferon itself (priming). We show that induction in response to double-stranded RNA is completely dependent upon priming in HeLa cells. However, unprimed cells can be partially induced by Sendai virus. This indicates that Sendai virus can provide a signal that is different from, or additional to, that provided by double-stranded RNA. The requirement for priming cannot be localized to a specific sequence element in the beta-interferon promoter, suggesting that priming may induce an essential component for signal transduction in response to double-stranded RNA.

Base Sequence↗

A truncated form of the IRF-2 transcription factor has the properties of a postinduction repressor of interferon-beta gene expression.

The interferon-beta promoter binding protein, IRF-2, is proteolytically processed during induction by double-stranded RNA to leave an N-terminal fragment that can still bind to DNA. An N-terminal fragment that corresponds to the induction-specific product has a higher affinity for the promoter and is a more potent repressor of interferon-beta transcription than the full-length precursor. The kinetics of production of the cleavage product is slower than that of activation of interferon-beta transcription. These results suggest that cleavage of IRF-2 functions to generate a postinduction repressor of interferon-beta expression.

Animals↗

NF-kappa B-independent activation of beta-interferon expression in mouse F9 embryonal carcinoma cells.

We have examined the behaviour of the beta-interferon promoter in mouse F9 embryonal carcinoma cells. In undifferentiated cells, the beta-interferon promoter is not responsive to dsRNA or to Sendai virus. In cells stimulated to differentiate into parietal endoderm by treatment with retinoic acid, the beta-interferon promoter responds to both inducers, but only Sendai virus can activate the transcription factor NF-kappa B previously thought to be essential for beta-interferon induction. Differentiated F9 cells therefore present an unprecedented situation in which induction of the beta-interferon gene does not require NF-kappa B. In addition to these differences, induction by dsRNA, but not by Sendai virus, is significantly enhanced by a pretreatment with interferon (priming). These observations suggest that paramyxo-viruses can participate in beta-interferon induction in a manner that is distinct from a simple generator of dsRNA. Analysis of the promoter requirements for induction in differentiated F9 cells suggests that induction is brought about by a novel mechanism using the currently identified regulatory domains.

Animals↗

Proteolytic degradation of MAD3 (I kappa B alpha) and enhanced processing of the NF-kappa B precursor p105 are obligatory steps in the activation of NF-kappa B.

We have studied the role of protein turnover in the induction of NF-kappa B DNA binding activity. Treatment of cells with tumour necrosis factor (TNF), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), or phorbol esters is shown to be associated with an increase in the rate of p105 to p50 processing, and the loss of immunologically detectable MAD3/I kappa B alpha. Phosphate-labelling experiments indicate that these events are preceded by the phosphorylation of MAD3 and p105. The protease inhibitors TLCK (N alpha-p-Tosyl-L-Lysine Chloromethyl Ketone) and TPCK (N alpha-p-Tosyl-L-Phenylalanine Chloromethyl Ketone) inhibit both p105 to p50 processing and MAD3 degradation, and also cause a complete block to NF-kappa B activation. These data suggest a model for NF-kappa B activation in which phosphorylation destabilises the NF-kappa B/MAD3 complex but that, in vivo, this is insufficient to lead to activation in the absence of an obligatory mechanism that degrades MAD3.

Animals↗

Identification of novel factors that bind to the PRD I region of the human beta-interferon promoter.

Treatment of cells with virus or synthetic double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) leads to the transient transcriptional activation of the beta-interferon gene. Genetic analysis has revealed that the 5' regulatory sequence responsible for this induction contains multiple positive and negative elements. One of these, Positive Regulatory Domain I (PRD I), has been shown to bind the positively-acting transcription factor IRF-1. In this study we show that this element is inducible under conditions where IRF-1 cannot be detected, suggesting that additional cellular factors are involved in the induction process. To investigate the existence of such factors we have analysed the range and properties of PRD I-binding activities present in HeLa cells. In addition to the repressor protein IRF-2, several novel factors can bind to PRD I in uninduced cells: two of these have properties consistent with a role in negative regulation; levels of two others increase upon priming, and may be alternative candidates for activators. Upon induction we also observe a novel factor whose appearance does not depend upon de novo protein synthesis, and which appears to be a truncated form of IRF-2. The potential involvement of these factors in regulating the beta-interferon gene is discussed.

Base Sequence↗