The Kinase Inhibitor SFV785 Dislocates Dengue Virus Envelope Protein from the Replication Complex and Blocks Virus Assembly

Dengue virus (DENV) is the etiologic agent for dengue fever, for which there is no approved vaccine or specific anti-viral drug. As a remedy for this, we explored the use of compounds that interfere with the action of required host factors and describe here the characterization of a kinase inhibitor (SFV785), which has selective effects on NTRK1 and MAPKAPK5 kinase activity, and anti-viral activity on Hepatitis C, DENV and yellow fever viruses. SFV785 inhibited DENV propagation without inhibiting DENV RNA synthesis or translation. The compound did not cause any changes in the cellular distribution of non-structural 3, a protein critical for DENV RNA synthesis, but altered the distribution of the structural envelope protein from a reticulate network to enlarged discrete vesicles, which altered the co-localization with the DENV replication complex. Ultrastructural electron microscopy analyses of DENV-infected SFV785-treated cells showed the presence of viral particles that were distinctly different from viable enveloped virions within enlarged ER cisternae. These viral particles were devoid of the dense nucleocapsid. The secretion of the viral particles was not inhibited by SFV785, however a reduction in the amount of secreted infectious virions, DENV RNA and capsid were observed. Collectively, these observations suggest that SFV785 inhibited the recruitment and assembly of the nucleocapsid in specific ER compartments during the DENV assembly process and hence the production of infectious DENV. SFV785 and derivative compounds could be useful biochemical probes to explore the DENV lifecycle and could also represent a new class of anti-virals

A Major Determinant of Cyclophilin Dependence and Cyclosporine Susceptibility of Hepatitis C Virus Identified by a Genetic Approach

Since the advent of genome-wide small interfering RNA screening, large numbers of cellular cofactors important for viral infection have been discovered at a rapid pace, but the viral targets and the mechanism of action for many of these cofactors remain undefined. One such cofactor is cyclophilin A (CyPA), upon which hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication critically depends. Here we report a new genetic selection scheme that identified a major viral determinant of HCV's dependence on CyPA and susceptibility to cyclosporine A. We selected mutant viruses that were able to infect CyPA-knockdown cells which were refractory to infection by wild-type HCV produced in cell culture. Five independent selections revealed related mutations in a single dipeptide motif (D316 and Y317) located in a proline-rich region of NS5A domain II, which has been implicated in CyPA binding. Engineering the mutations into wild-type HCV fully recapitulated the CyPA-independent and CsA-resistant phenotype and four putative proline substrates of CyPA were mapped to the vicinity of the DY motif. Circular dichroism analysis of wild-type and mutant NS5A peptides indicated that the D316E/Y317N mutations (DEYN) induced a conformational change at a major CyPA-binding site. Furthermore, nuclear magnetic resonance experiments suggested that NS5A with DEYN mutations adopts a more extended, functional conformation in the putative CyPA substrate site in domain II. Finally, the importance of this major CsA-sensitivity determinant was confirmed in additional genotypes (GT) other than GT 2a. This study describes a new genetic approach to identifying viral targets of cellular cofactors and identifies a major regulator of HCV's susceptibility to CsA and its derivatives that are currently in clinical trials

Productive Hepatitis C Virus Infection of Stem Cell-Derived Hepatocytes Reveals a Critical Transition to Viral Permissiveness during Differentiation

Primary human hepatocytes isolated from patient biopsies represent the most physiologically relevant cell culture model for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, but these primary cells are not readily accessible, display individual variability, and are largely refractory to genetic manipulation. Hepatocyte-like cells differentiated from pluripotent stem cells provide an attractive alternative as they not only overcome these shortcomings but can also provide an unlimited source of noncancer cells for both research and cell therapy. Despite its promise, the permissiveness to HCV infection of differentiated human hepatocyte-like cells (DHHs) has not been explored. Here we report a novel infection model based on DHHs derived from human embryonic (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). DHHs generated in chemically defined media under feeder-free conditions were subjected to infection by both HCV derived in cell culture (HCVcc) and patient-derived virus (HCVser). Pluripotent stem cells and definitive endoderm were not permissive for HCV infection whereas hepatic progenitor cells were persistently infected and secreted infectious particles into culture medium. Permissiveness to infection was correlated with induction of the liver-specific microRNA-122 and modulation of cellular factors that affect HCV replication. RNA interference directed toward essential cellular cofactors in stem cells resulted in HCV-resistant hepatocyte-like cells after differentiation. The ability to infect cultured cells directly with HCV patient serum, to study defined stages of viral permissiveness, and to produce genetically modified cells with desired phenotypes all have broad significance for host-pathogen interactions and cell therapy

Molecular Determinants and Dynamics of Hepatitis C Virus Secretion

The current model of hepatitis C virus (HCV) production involves the assembly of virions on or near the surface of lipid droplets, envelopment at the ER in association with components of VLDL synthesis, and egress via the secretory pathway. However, the cellular requirements for and a mechanistic understanding of HCV secretion are incomplete at best. We combined an RNA interference (RNAi) analysis of host factors for infectious HCV secretion with the development of live cell imaging of HCV core trafficking to gain a detailed understanding of HCV egress. RNAi studies identified multiple components of the secretory pathway, including ER to Golgi trafficking, lipid and protein kinases that regulate budding from the trans-Golgi network (TGN), VAMP1 vesicles and adaptor proteins, and the recycling endosome. Our results support a model wherein HCV is infectious upon envelopment at the ER and exits the cell via the secretory pathway. We next constructed infectious HCV with a tetracysteine (TC) tag insertion in core (TC-core) to monitor the dynamics of HCV core trafficking in association with its cellular cofactors. In order to isolate core protein movements associated with infectious HCV secretion, only trafficking events that required the essential HCV assembly factor NS2 were quantified. TC-core traffics to the cell periphery along microtubules and this movement can be inhibited by nocodazole. Sub-populations of TC-core localize to the Golgi and co-traffic with components of the recycling endosome. Silencing of the recycling endosome component Rab11a results in the accumulation of HCV core at the Golgi. The majority of dynamic core traffics in association with apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and VAMP1 vesicles. This study identifies many new host cofactors of HCV egress, while presenting dynamic studies of HCV core trafficking in infected cells

Identification de kinases cellulaires impliquées dans l entrée et la réplication du virus de l hépatite C

Le virus de l hépatite C (VHC) infecte de façon chronique près de 170 millions de personnes à travers le monde. Aucun vaccin n est disponible et les traitements actuels ont une efficacité limitée. La compréhension des interactions entre l hôte et le pathogène permettra de définir de nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques. Dans ce contexte, l objectif de mes travaux de thèse était d identifier des facteurs cellulaires indispensables à la propagation du VHC. Notre stratégie a consisté à analyser l impact de l extinction individuelle de gènes cellulaires sur la susceptibilité des cellules à l infection par le VHC. Nos résultats ont démontré que l inhibition de l expression de gènes impliqués dans l endocytose dépendante de la clathrine protégeait les cellules de l infection. Par ailleurs, nous avons également découvert qu une diminution de l expression de la phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase type III-a (PI4KIIIa) permettait de prévenir l entrée du virus dans les cellules. Des expériences supplémentaires démontrèrent que les niveaux d expression des PI4KIIIa et b dans les cellules influençaient non seulement la susceptibilité des cellules à l infection par le VHC mais également leur capacité à assurer la réplication virale. A l inverse, les PI4KIIa et b ne semblent impliquées dans aucune étape du cycle biologique du VHC. Nous avons également pu démontrer que le niveau de dépendance du VHC vis-à-vis des PI4KIIIs variait en fonction du génotype viral. Au final, mes travaux de thèse révèlent que les kinases PI4KIIIa et b représentent de nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques intéressantes pour les hépatites virales C.The hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronically infects ~170 million people worldwide and is responsible for life-threatening liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. No vaccine is available and current treatments have limited effectiveness. Understanding the interactions between host and pathogen will define new therapeutic targets. In this context, the objective of my PhD thesis was to identify cellular factors involved in the HCV spread. Our strategy was to analyze the impact of the extinction of individual cellular genes on the susceptibility of cells to HCV infection. Our results have shown that the partial knockdown of genes involved in clathrin mediated endocytosis protected cells from infection. Furthermore, we also found that a decreased expression of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase type III-a (PI4KIIIa) could prevent the entry of viruses into cells. Additional experiments performed on different PI4Ks family members showed that the expression levels of PI4KIIIa and b in cells not only influenced the cell susceptibility to HCV infection but also their ability to ensure the HCV replication. Conversely, the PI4KIIa and b did not seem to be involved in any stage of the HCV life cycle. We also demonstrated that the HCV dependency to PI4KIIIs vary depending on the viral genotype. Finally, my researches revealed that the kinases PI4KIIIa and b represent new interesting therapeutic targets for viral hepatitis C.RENNES1-BU Sciences Philo (352382102) / SudocSudocFranceF

Recent contributions of in vitro models to our understanding of hepatitis C virus life cycle.

International audienceHepatitis C virus is a human pathogen responsible for liver diseases including acute and chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Its high prevalence, the absence of a prophylactic vaccine and the poor efficiency of current therapies are huge medical problems. Since the discovery of the hepatitis C virus, our knowledge of its biology has been largely punctuated by the development of original models of research. At the end of the 1980s, the chimpanzee model led to cloning of the viral genome and the definition of infectious molecular clones. In 1999, a breakthrough was achieved with the development of a robust in vitro replication model named 'replicon'. This system allowed intensive research into replication mechanisms and drug discovery. Later, in 2003, pseudotyped retroviruses harbouring surface proteins of hepatitis C virus were produced to specifically investigate the viral entry process. It was only in 2005 that infectious viruses were produced in vitro, enabling intensive investigations into the entire life cycle of the hepatitis C virus. This review describes the different in vitro models developed to study hepatitis C virus, their contribution to current knowledge of the virus biology and their future research applications

Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) experiments under conditions of uniform disk illumination. Critical comparison of analytical solutions, and a new mathematical method for calculation of diffusion coefficient D.

A simple fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) apparatus using a fluorescence microscope with a conventional mercury arc lamp, working under conditions of "uniform disk illumination" is described. This set-up was designed essentially for the use of anthracene as fluorescent probe, which is bleached (photodimerization reaction) by illumination in the near ultraviolet range (360 nm). It is shown that the lateral diffusion coefficients D can be readily calculated from fluorescence recovery curves using a finite differentiate method in combination with statistical analysis of the data. In contrast to the analytical solutions so far described, this numerical approach is particularly versatile. With a minimization algorithm, D and the probe mobile fraction can be readily calculated for any recovery time under various experimental conditions. These include different probe concentration profiles in the illuminated area after the bleaching step, and situations of infinite or noninfinite reservoir in the diffusion area outside the illuminated area

The First Transmembrane Domain of the Hepatitis B Virus Large Envelope Protein Is Crucial for Infectivity▿

The early steps of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) life cycle are still poorly understood. Indeed, neither the virus receptor at the cell surface nor the mechanism by which nucleocapsids are delivered to the cytosol of infected cells has been identified. Extensive mutagenesis studies in pre-S1, pre-S2, and most of the S domain of envelope proteins revealed the presence of two regions essential for HBV infectivity: the 77 first residues of the pre-S1 domain and a conformational motif in the antigenic loop of the S domain. In addition, at the N-terminal extremity of the S domain, a putative fusion peptide, partially overlapping the first transmembrane (TM1) domain and preceded by a PEST sequence likely containing several proteolytic cleavage sites, was identified. Since no mutational analysis of these two motifs potentially implicated in the fusion process was performed, we decided to investigate the ability of viruses bearing contiguous deletions or substitutions in the putative fusion peptide and PEST sequence to infect HepaRG cells. By introducing the mutations either in the L and M proteins or in the S protein, we demonstrated the following: (i) that in the TM1 domain of the L protein, three hydrophobic clusters of four residues were necessary for infectivity; (ii) that the same clusters were critical for S protein expression; and, finally, (iii) that the PEST sequence was dispensable for both assembly and infection processes

Entry of pseudotyped hepatitis C virus into primary human hepatocytes depends on the scavenger class B type I receptor.

International audienceEntry of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) into the cell seems to be a complex multi-step process involving several cellular factors such as the scavenger class B type I receptor (SRBI). Until now, all investigations conducted to assess the involvement of SRBI have been based on in vitro infection models which use human hepatoma-derived cell lines. However, the HCV entry pathway may be altered in these types of cells because of the impairment of some hepatic characteristics. In this study, we showed that SRBI also plays an essential role in HCV entry into primary human hepatocytes with two distinct approaches: gene extinction and antibodies neutralization assays