Herpes simplex virus 1 has multiple mechanisms for blocking virus-induced interferon production

J Virol. 2004 Aug;78(16):8411-20. doi: 10.1128/JVI.78.16.8411-8420.2004.

Abstract

In response to viral infection, host cells elicit a number of responses, including the expression of alpha/beta interferon (IFN-alpha/beta). In these cells, IFN regulatory factor-3 (IRF-3) undergoes a sequence of posttranslational modifications that allow it to act as a potent transcriptional coactivator of specific IFN genes, including IFN-beta. We investigated the mechanisms by which herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) inhibits the production of IFN-beta mediated by the IRF-3 signaling pathway. Here, we show that HSV-1 infection can block the accumulation of IFN-beta triggered by Sendai virus (SeV) infection. Our results indicate that HSV-1 infection blocks the nuclear accumulation of activated IRF-3 but does not block the initial virus-induced phosphorylation of IRF-3. The former effect was at least partly mediated by increased turnover of IRF-3 in HSV-1-infected cells. Using mutant viruses, we determined that the immediate-early protein ICP0 was necessary for the inhibition of IRF-3 nuclear accumulation. Expression of ICP0 also had the ability to reduce IFN-beta production induced by SeV infection. ICP0 has been shown previously to play a role in HSV-1 sensitivity to IFN and in the inhibition of antiviral gene production. However, we observed that an ICP0 mutant virus still retained the ability to inhibit the production of IFN-beta. These results argue that HSV-1 has multiple mechanisms to inhibit the production of IFN-beta, providing additional ways in which HSV-1 can block the IFN-mediated host response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Herpesvirus 1, Human / genetics
  • Herpesvirus 1, Human / pathogenicity*
  • Humans
  • Immediate-Early Proteins / genetics
  • Immediate-Early Proteins / metabolism
  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-3
  • Interferon-beta / genetics
  • Interferon-beta / immunology
  • Interferon-beta / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Sendai virus / immunology*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • IRF3 protein, human
  • Immediate-Early Proteins
  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-3
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Transcription Factors
  • Interferon-beta
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • Vmw110 protein, Human herpesvirus 1