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Wang H, Peng W, Wang J, Zhang C, Zhao W, Ran Y, Yang X, Chen J, Li H. Human Cytomegalovirus UL23 Antagonizes the Antiviral Effect of Interferon-γ by Restraining the Expression of Specific IFN-Stimulated Genes. Viruses 2023; 15:v15041014. [PMID: 37112994 PMCID: PMC10145438 DOI: 10.3390/v15041014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is a critical component of innate immune responses in humans to combat infection by many viruses, including human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). IFN-γ exerts its biological effects by inducing hundreds of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). In this study, RNA-seq analyses revealed that HCMV tegument protein UL23 could regulate the expression of many ISGs under IFN-γ treatment or HCMV infection. We further confirmed that among these IFN-γ stimulated genes, individual APOL1 (Apolipoprotein-L1), CMPK2 (Cytidine/uridine monophosphate kinase 2), and LGALS9 (Galectin-9) could inhibit HCMV replication. Moreover, these three proteins exhibited a synergistic effect on HCMV replication. UL23-deficient HCMV mutants induced higher expression of APOL1, CMPK2, and LGALS9, and exhibited lower viral titers in IFN-γ treated cells compared with parental viruses expressing full functional UL23. Thus, UL23 appears to resist the antiviral effect of IFN-γ by downregulating the expression of APOL1, CMPK2, and LGALS9. This study highlights the roles of HCMV UL23 in facilitating viral immune escape from IFN-γ responses by specifically downregulating these ISGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hankun Wang
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Weijian Peng
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jialin Wang
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Chunling Zhang
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Wangchun Zhao
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yanhong Ran
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiaoping Yang
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Hongjian Li
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control, Guangzhou 510632, China
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Feng L, Li W, Wu X, Li X, Yang X, Ran Y, Wu J, Li H. Human Cytomegalovirus UL23 Attenuates Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 1 Phosphorylation and Type I Interferon Response. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:692515. [PMID: 34305856 PMCID: PMC8301221 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.692515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), the human beta-herpesvirus, can cause severe syndromes among both immunocompromised adult patients and newborns. Type I interferon (IFN-I) exerts an important effect to resist infections caused by viruses such as HCMV, while IFN evasion may serve as a key determining factor for viral dissemination and disease occurrence within hosts. In this study, UL23, a tegument protein of HCMV, was confirmed to be a key factor for negatively regulating the type I IFN immune response. A detailed analysis indicated that the viral UL23 protein increases the IFN-I antiviral resistance during HCMV infections. Furthermore, UL23 was shown to significantly reduce the levels of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) and promoter activity of IFN-I-stimulated response element. Mechanically, UL23 was discovered to impair the signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) phosphorylation, although it was not found to affect phosphorylation and expression of STAT2, Janus activated kinase 1, or tyrosine kinase 2, which are associated with IFN-I signal transduction pathway. Additionally, a significantly reduced nuclear expression of STAT1 but not of IFN regulatory factor 9 or STAT2 was observed. Findings of this study indicate that HCMV UL23 is a viral antagonist that acts against the cellular innate immunity and reveal a possible novel effect of UL23 on IFN-I signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyuan Feng
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wanwei Li
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xingyuan Wu
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaotian Li
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoping Yang
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanhong Ran
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianguo Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Virology, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,Foshan Institute of Medical Microbiology, Foshan, China
| | - Hongjian Li
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Virology, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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