Induction of SerpinB2 and Th1/Th2 modulation by SerpinB2 during lentiviral infections in vivo

PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e57343. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057343. Epub 2013 Feb 27.

Abstract

SerpinB2, also known as plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2, is a major product of activated monocytes/macrophages and is often strongly induced during infection and inflammation; however, its physiological function remains somewhat elusive. Herein we show that SerpinB2 is induced in peripheral blood mononuclear cells following infection of pigtail macaques with CCR5-utilizing (macrophage-tropic) SIVmac239, but not the rapidly pathogenic CXCR4-utilizing (T cell-tropic) SHIVmn229. To investigate the role of SerpinB2 in lentiviral infections, SerpinB2(-/-) mice were infected with EcoHIV, a chimeric HIV in which HIV gp120 has been replaced with gp80 from ecotropic murine leukemia virus. EcoHIV infected SerpinB2(-/-) mice produced significantly lower anti-gag IgG1 antibody titres than infected SerpinB2(+/+) mice, and showed slightly delayed clearance of EcoHIV. Analyses of published microarray studies showed significantly higher levels of SerpinB2 mRNA in monocytes from HIV-1 infected patients when compared with uninfected controls, as well as a significant negative correlation between SerpinB2 and T-bet mRNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These data illustrate that SerpinB2 can be induced by lentiviral infection in vivo and support the emerging notion that a physiological role of SerpinB2 is modulation of Th1/Th2 responses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Movement
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • HIV Infections / genetics
  • HIV Infections / immunology
  • HIV Infections / virology
  • HIV-1 / physiology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Lentivirus Infections / genetics
  • Lentivirus Infections / immunology*
  • Lentivirus Infections / pathology
  • Lentivirus Infections / virology
  • Macaca nemestrina / immunology
  • Macaca nemestrina / virology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 2 / deficiency
  • Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 2 / genetics
  • Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 2 / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / physiology
  • Th1 Cells / immunology*
  • Th2 Cells / immunology*
  • Virus Replication / physiology

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 2
  • RNA, Messenger

Grants and funding

Funding was provided by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) and the Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis Virology Research. TSP received a QIMR honours scholarship for this work. AS is a Principle Research Fellow with the NH&MRC. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.