Human Encephalitis Complicated With Ocular Symptoms Associated With Pseudorabies Virus Infection: A Case Report

Pseudorabies virus IE180 protein hijacks G3BPs into the nucleus to inhibit stress granule formation

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a porcine alphaherpesvirus that can infect different animal species and cause pruritus and lethal encephalitis. Stress granules (SGs) are membrane-free cytoplasmic structures formed by liquid-liquid phase separation of G3BP proteins during cell translation inhibition, which generally plays an antiviral role in various viral infections. In this study, we found that infection with different PRV strains inhibits the formation of SGs in host cells. We found that IE180, the only immediate early protein of PRV, has a distinct inhibitory effect on SG formation and colocalizes with SG-nucleating G3BP proteins (G3BP1/2) in the nucleus during PRV infection. Co-immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated an interaction between IE180 and G3BP1/G3BP2, and this interaction appears to depend on the Herpesvirus ICP4-like protein N-terminal (ICP4L-N) domain of IE180 and both NTF2L and RBD domains of G3BP1. Since G3BPs mainly function in the cytoplasm to induce SG formation, we constructed several IE180 protein truncations lacking a nuclear localization sequence to alter the subcellular localization of IE180 to the cytoplasm. Mutant IE180 protein was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm and still suppressed SG formation induced by arsenite or poly(I:C), but its ability to inhibit SG formation was weakened. Importantly, knockout of G3BPs facilitated PRV replication in H1299 cells, while exogenous expression of G3BPs and formation of SGs in wild-type H1299 cells suppressed PRV replication. In summary, our study indicates that PRV IE180 suppresses SG formation and hijacks G3BPs into the nucleus to benefit virus replication.IMPORTANCEHerpesviruses, including pseudorabies virus (PRV), have evolved different strategies to compromise host immune responses. Stress granules (SGs) are one of the targets that viruses can overcome in order to increase replication. The related herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) inhibits SG formation to promote virus replication, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we confirmed that infection with different PRV strains inhibits SG formation. Interestingly, we found that the PRV immediate early protein IE180 interacts with G3BP proteins and hijacks these proteins into the nucleus to prevent SG formation. In line with the antiviral effect of SGs on PRV replication, exogenous expression of G3BPs and formation of SGs in G3BP1/2 knockout H1299 cells significantly compromised PRV replication. The reported mechanism appears to be also utilized by HSV-1 to prevent SG formation. Therefore, our study elucidates a novel mechanism by which alphaherpesviruses inhibit SG formation, which provides a new perspective to inquire into the immune escape of PRV and other alphaherpesviruses.

Design of the Inhibitors for Pseudorabies Virus Replication by Reinforcement Learning from HSV-1 DNA Polymerase Inhibitors

The reintroduction of the pseudorabies virus (PRV) has led to the emergence of epidemics in some pig farms in China, resulting in significant economic losses. Moreover, the number of human infections with PRV has increased. Therefore, research into the prevention and treatment of PRV strains is imperative. In this work, the PRV DNA polymerase (DNA pol) was found to exhibit a high degree of sequence and structural similarity to the herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) DNA pol. Consequently, we provided the first experimental evidence that PNU-183792, a non-nucleoside inhibitor of HSV-1, inhibited PRV replication in cell assay, with an EC50 of 100 pM, providing the basis for further studies on PRV inhibitors. Then, with the great help of reinforcement learning, some new potential hits were discovered based on the HSV-1 DNA pol inhibitors. One of the compounds, c14, which showed significant anti-PRV potency and safety, with an EC50 of 14 pM and a CC50 of 343.7 μM, can be considered as a highly promising lead compound to support drug discovery and development for anti-PRV.

Pseudorabies virus as a zoonosis: scientific and public health implications

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a herpes virus, also known as Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV), which can cause a highly infectious disease pseudorabies (PR) in a variety of mammals. In the past, it has been debated whether PRV can infect humans, but more and more cases of PRV infection have been reported since 2017. The illness has claimed many victims and left survivors with serious sequelae. This indicates that humans may ignore the zoonotic ability of PRV. This review aims to summarize the pathology and pathogenesis of PRV and speculate on how it infects humans. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the progression of PRV, including its virology characteristics, genomic organization, and genetic evolution. It also synthesises the existing literature on PRV infection in humans, and analyses the factors contributing to PRV zoonosis. Finally, the pathogenesis of PRV-infected pigs and other mammals was summarized, and the pathogenesis of PRV-infected humans was speculated.

Rapid, sensitive, and visual detection of pseudorabies virus with an RPA-CRISPR/EsCas13d-based dual-readout portable platform

Pseudorabies viruses (PRV) pose a major threat to the global pig industry and public health. Rapid, intuitive, affordable, and accurate diagnostic testing is critical for controlling and eradicating infectious diseases. In this study, a portable detection platform based on RPA-CRISPR/EsCas13d was developed. The platform exhibits high sensitivity (1 copy/μL), good specificity, and no cross-reactivity with common pathogens. The platform uses rapid preamplification technology to provide visualization results (lateral flow assays or visual fluorescence) within 1 h. Fifty pig samples (including tissues, oral fluids, and serum) were tested using this platform and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), showing 34.0 % (17 of 50) PRV positivity with the portable CRISPR/EsCas13d dual-readout platform, consistent with the qPCR results. These results highlight the stability, sensitivity, efficiency, and low equipment requirements of the portable platform. Additionally, a novel point-of-care test is being developed for clinical use in remote rural and resource-limited areas, which could be a prospective measure for monitoring the progression of pseudorabies and other infectious diseases worldwide.

Identifying potential monkeypox virus inhibitors: an in silico study targeting the A42R protein

Monkeypox (now Mpox), a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV) is an emerging threat to global health. In the time span of only six months, from May to October 2022, the number of MPXV cases breached 80,000 and many of the outbreaks occurred in locations that had never previously reported MPXV. Currently there are no FDA-approved MPXV-specific vaccines or treatments, therefore, finding drugs to combat MPXV is of utmost importance. The A42R profilin-like protein of the MPXV is involved in cell development and motility making it a critical drug target. A42R protein is highly conserved across orthopoxviruses, thus A42R inhibitors may work for other family members. This study sought to identify potential A42R inhibitors for MPXV treatment using computational approaches. The energy minimized 3D structure of the A42R profilin-like protein (PDB ID: 4QWO) underwent virtual screening using a library of 36,366 compounds from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), AfroDb, and PubChem databases as well as known inhibitor tecovirimat via AutoDock Vina. A total of seven compounds comprising PubChem CID: 11371962, ZINC000000899909, ZINC000001632866, ZINC000015151344, ZINC000013378519, ZINC000000086470, and ZINC000095486204, predicted to have favorable binding were shortlisted. Molecular docking suggested that all seven proposed compounds have higher binding affinities to A42R (-7.2 to -8.3 kcal/mol) than tecovirimat (-6.7 kcal/mol). This was corroborated by MM/PBSA calculations, with tecovirimat demonstrating the highest binding free energy of -68.694 kJ/mol (lowest binding affinity) compared to the seven shortlisted compounds that ranged from -73.252 to -97.140 kJ/mol. Furthermore, the 7 compounds in complex with A42R demonstrated higher stability than the A42R-tecovirimat complex when subjected to 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations. The protein-ligand interaction maps generated using LigPlot+ suggested that residues Met1, Glu3, Trp4, Ile7, Arg127, Val128, Thr131, and Asn133 are important for binding. These seven compounds were adequately profiled to be potential antivirals via PASS predictions and structural similarity searches. All seven potential lead compounds were scored Pa > Pi for antiviral activity while ZINC000001632866 and ZINC000015151344 were predicted as poxvirus inhibitors with Pa values of 0.315 and 0.215, and Pi values of 0.052 and 0.136, respectively. Further experimental validations of the identified lead compounds are required to corroborate their predicted activity. These seven identified compounds represent solid footing for development of antivirals against MPXV and other orthopoxviruses.

A case report of long-delayed diagnosis of pseudorabies virus encephalitis with endophthalmitis: lessons from metagenomic next generation sequencing

BACKGROUND

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) was thought to only infect animals. Recent studies have shown that it can also infect human.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report a case of pseudorabies virus encephalitis and endophthalmitis, diagnosed 89 days after onset, confirmed with intraocular fluid metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) after the result of two cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) mNGS tests were negative. Although treatment with intravenous acyclovir, foscarnet sodium, and methylprednisolone improved the symptoms of encephalitis, significant diagnostic delay resulted in permanent visual loss.

CONCLUSIONS

This case suggests that pseudorabies virus (PRV) DNA in the intraocular fluid may have a higher positivity than that in the CSF. PRV may persist in the intraocular fluid for an extended period and may thus require extended antiviral therapy. Patients with severe encephalitis and PRV should be examined with the focus on pupil reactivity and light reflex. A fundus examination should be performed in patients with a central nervous system infection, specifically, those in a comatose state, to help reduce eye disability.

The Role of Latency-Associated Transcripts in the Latent Infection of Pseudorabies Virus

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) can cause neurological, respiratory, and reproductive diseases in pigs and establish lifelong latent infection in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Latent infection is a typical feature of PRV, which brings great difficulties to the prevention, control, and eradication of pseudorabies. The integral mechanism of latent infection is still unclear. Latency-associated transcripts (LAT) gene is the only transcriptional region during latent infection of PRV which plays the key role in regulating viral latent infection and inhibiting apoptosis. Here, we review the characteristics of PRV latent infection and the transcriptional characteristics of the LAT gene. We also analyzed the function of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) produced by the LAT gene and its importance in latent infection. Furthermore, we provided possible strategies to solve the problem of latent infection of virulent PRV strains in the host. In short, the detailed mechanism of PRV latent infection needs to be further studied and elucidated.