Open AccessThe γ134.5 Protein of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Is Required To Interfere with Dendritic Cell Maturation during Productive Infection
Author(s) -
Huali Jin,
Yijie Ma,
Bellur S. Prabhakar,
Zongdi Feng,
Tibor Vályi-Nagy,
Zhipeng Yan,
Dustin Verpooten,
Cuizhu Zhang,
Youjia Cao,
Bin He
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.617
H-Index - 292
eISSN - 1070-6321
pISSN - 0022-538X
DOI - 10.1128/jvi.02535-08
Subject(s) - biology , interferon , herpes simplex virus , virology , interferon type i , dendritic cell , viral replication , innate immune system , virus , major histocompatibility complex , immune system , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology
The γ1 34.5 protein of herpes simplex virus 1 is an essential factor for viral virulence. In infected cells, this viral protein prevents the translation arrest mediated by double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase R. Additionally, it associates with and inhibits TANK-binding kinase 1, an essential component of Toll-like receptor-dependent and -independent pathways that activate interferon regulatory factor 3 and cytokine expression. Here, we show that γ1 34.5 is required to block the maturation of conventional dendritic cells (DCs) that initiate adaptive immune responses. Unlike wild-type virus, the γ1 34.5 null mutant stimulates the expression of CD86, major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II), and cytokines such as alpha/beta interferon in immature DCs. Viral replication in DCs inversely correlates with interferon production. These phenotypes are also mirrored in a mouse ocular infection model. Further, DCs infected with the γ1 34.5 null mutant effectively activate naïve T cells whereas DCs infected with wild-type virus fail to do so. Type I interferon-neutralizing antibodies partially reverse virus-induced upregulation of CD86 and MHC-II, suggesting that γ1 34.5 acts through interferon-dependent and -independent mechanisms. These data indicate that γ1 34.5 is involved in the impairment of innate immunity by inhibiting both type I interferon production and DC maturation, leading to defective T-cell activation.