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Journal of Virology Aug 2023Avian leukemia virus subgroup J (ALV-J) causes various diseases associated with tumor formation and decreased fertility and induced immunosuppressive disease, resulting...
Avian leukemia virus subgroup J (ALV-J) causes various diseases associated with tumor formation and decreased fertility and induced immunosuppressive disease, resulting in significant economic losses in the poultry industry globally. Virus usually exploits the host cellular machinery for their replication. Although there are increasing evidences for the cellular proteins involving viral replication, the interaction between ALV-J and host proteins leading to the pivotal steps of viral life cycle are still unclear. Here, we reported that ribonucleoside-diphosphate reductase subunit M2 (RRM2) plays a critical role during ALV-J infection by interacting with capsid protein P27 and activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. We found that the expression of RRM2 is effectively increased during ALV-J infection, and that RRM2 facilitates ALV-J replication by interacting with viral capsid protein P27. Furthermore, ALV-J P27 activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling by promoting β-catenin entry into the nucleus, and RRM2 activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling by enhancing its phosphorylation at Ser18 during ALV-J infection. These data suggest that the upregulation of RRM2 expression by ALV-J infection favors viral replication in host cells via activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. IMPORTANCE Our results revealed a novel mechanism by which RRM2 facilitates ALV-J growth. That is, the upregulation of RRM2 expression by ALV-J infection favors viral replication by interacting with capsid protein P27 and activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway in host cells. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of serine at position 18 of RRM2 was verified to be the important factor regulating the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. This study provides insights for further studies of the molecular mechanism of ALV-J infection.
Topics: Animals; Avian Leukosis; Avian Leukosis Virus; beta Catenin; Capsid Proteins; Chickens; Wnt Signaling Pathway; Ribonucleoside Diphosphate Reductase
PubMed: 37582207
DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00267-23 -
Mediators of Inflammation 2021The aim of this study was to better understand the sequence characteristics and immune responses in avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) infected yellow chicken...
The aim of this study was to better understand the sequence characteristics and immune responses in avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) infected yellow chicken flocks in South China. We isolated four strains of ALV-J virus from these flocks, which were then identified by several methods, including subtype-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). All four viruses were sequenced for their complete genomes and named GD19GZ01, GD19GZ02, GD19GZ03, and GD19GZ04. In comparison with the reference sequence, the homology analysis showed that the and genes were relatively conserved, whereas contained much variation. Both GD19GZ01 and GD19GZ02 almost entirely lacked the rTM region and E element, while the latter was retained in GD19GZ03 and GD19GZ04. Moreover, the virus replication levels in GD19GZ03 and GD19GZ04were much higher than those in GD19GZ01 and GD19GZ02. And three virus recombination events in GD19GZ01 and GD19GZ02 were revealed by the results of PDR5 and SimPlot software analysis. Additionally, we found that some interferon-stimulating genes (, , , , and ) and inflammatory mediators (, , , , , and ) were significantly upregulated in the immune system organs of clinical chickens. Taken together, these findings clarify and reveal the sequence characteristics and trends in the variation of ALV-J infection in yellow chicken flocks of South China.
Topics: Animals; Avian Leukosis Virus; Chickens; China; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Interleukin-10; Interleukin-4; Interleukin-6; Phylogeny
PubMed: 33628117
DOI: 10.1155/2021/6665871 -
Microbiology Spectrum Jun 2023Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) is a widely distributed multifunctional serine/threonine kinase. In mammals, GSK3β regulates important life activities such as...
Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) is a widely distributed multifunctional serine/threonine kinase. In mammals, GSK3β regulates important life activities such as proinflammatory response, anti-inflammatory response, immunity, and cancer development. However, the biological functions of chicken GSK3β (chGSK3β) are still unknown. In the present study, the full-length cDNA of chGSK3β was first cloned and analyzed. Absolute quantification of chicken chGSK3β in 1-day-old specific-pathogen-free birds has shown that it is widely expressed in all tissues, with the highest level in brain and the lowest level in pancreas. Overexpression of chGSK3β in DF-1 cells significantly decreased the gene expression levels of interferon beta (IFN-β), IFN regulatory factor 7 (IRF7), Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5), MX-1, protein kinase R (PKR), and oligoadenylate synthase-like (OASL), while promoting the replication of avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J). Conversely, levels of most of the genes detected in this study were increased when chGSK3β expression was knocked down using small interfering RNA (siRNA), which also inhibited the replication of ALV-J. These results suggest that chGSK3β plays an important role in the antiviral innate immune response in DF-1 cells, and it will be valuable to carry out further studies on the biological functions of chGSK3β. GSK3β regulates many life activities in mammals. Recent studies revealed that chGSK3β was involved in regulating antiviral innate immunity in DF-1 cells and also could positively regulate ALV-J replication. These results provide new insights into the biofunction of chGSK3β and the virus-host interactions of ALV-J. In addition, this study provides a basis for further research on the function of GSK3 in poultry.
Topics: Animals; Chickens; Avian Leukosis Virus; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; Immunity, Innate; Antiviral Agents; Poultry Diseases; Mammals
PubMed: 36995259
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05235-22 -
PloS One 2022Avian lymphoid leukosis-like (LL-like) lymphoma has been observed in some experimental and commercial lines of chickens that are free of exogenous avian leukosis virus....
Avian lymphoid leukosis-like (LL-like) lymphoma has been observed in some experimental and commercial lines of chickens that are free of exogenous avian leukosis virus. Reported cases of avian lymphoid leukosis-like lymphoma incidences in the susceptible chickens are relatively low, but the apathogenic subgroup E avian leukosis virus (ALV-E) and the Marek's disease vaccine, SB-1, significantly escalate the disease incidence in the susceptible chickens. However, the underlying mechanism of tumorigenesis is poorly understood. In this study, we bioinformatically analyzed the deep RNA sequences of 6 lymphoid leukosis-like lymphoma samples, collected from susceptible chickens post both ALV-E and SB-1 inoculation, and identified a total of 1,692 novel long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Thirty-nine of those novel lncRNAs were detected with altered expression in the LL-like tumors. In addition, 13 lncRNAs whose neighboring genes also showed differentially expression and 2 conserved novel lncRNAs, XLOC_001407 and XLOC_022595, may have previously un-appreciated roles in tumor development in human. Furthermore, 14 lncRNAs, especially XLOC_004542, exhibited strong potential as competing endogenous RNAs via sponging miRNAs. The analysis also showed that ALV subgroup E viral gene Gag/Gag-pol and the MD vaccine SB-1 viral gene R-LORF1 and ORF413 were particularly detectable in the LL-like tumor samples. In addition, we discovered 982 novel lncRNAs that were absent in the current annotation of chicken genome and 39 of them were aberrantly expressed in the tumors. This is the first time that lncRNA signature is identified in avian lymphoid leukosis-like lymphoma and suggests the epigenetic factor, lncRNA, is involved with the avian lymphoid leukosis-like lymphoma formation and development in susceptible chickens. Further studies to elucidate the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying the avian lymphoid leukosis-like lymphoma is indeed warranted.
Topics: Animals; Avian Leukosis; Avian Leukosis Virus; Chickens; Disease Susceptibility; Humans; Lymphoma; Neoplasms; Poultry Diseases; RNA, Long Noncoding; Transcriptome
PubMed: 35939448
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272557 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2022Avian Leukosis Virus Subgroup J (ALV-J) is a tumorigenic virus with high morbidity and rapid transmission. N6-methyladenosine (mA) is a common epigenetic modification...
Avian Leukosis Virus Subgroup J (ALV-J) is a tumorigenic virus with high morbidity and rapid transmission. N6-methyladenosine (mA) is a common epigenetic modification that may be closely related to the pathogenicity of ALV-J. Currently, there are no reports on whether mA modification is related to ALV-J induced tumor formation. In this study, we used methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to examine the differences in mA methylation and gene expression in normal livers and ALV-J-induced tumor livers systematically, with functional enrichment and co-expression analysis. The results identified 6,541 mA methylated peaks, mainly enriched in CDS, and more than 83% of the transcripts contained 1-2 mA peaks. For RNA-seq, 1,896 and 1,757 differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs were identified, respectively. Gene enrichment analysis indicated that they may be involved in biological processes and pathways such as immunology-related and apoptosis. Moreover, we identified 17 lncRNAs, commonly existing in differently expressed methylome and transcriptome. Through co-expression analysis, 126 differentially expressed lncRNAs, and 18 potentially mA-related methyltransferases were finally identified and connected, suggesting that mA modifications might affect gene expression of lncRNAs and play a role in ALV-J induced tumor formation. This study provides the first comprehensive description of the mA expression profile in tumor livers induced by ALV-J infection in chickens, which provides a basis for studying the role of mA modification in ALV-J induced tumorigenesis. This study provides clues for studying the epigenetic etiology and pathogenesis of ALV-J.
Topics: Animals; Avian Leukosis; Avian Leukosis Virus; Carcinogenesis; Chickens; Liver; Methylation; RNA, Long Noncoding; Transcriptome
PubMed: 35529873
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.868892 -
Journal of Virology Jun 2020Tetherin/BST-2 is an antiviral protein that blocks the release of enveloped viral particles by linking them to the membrane of producing cells. At first, BST-2 genes...
Tetherin/BST-2 is an antiviral protein that blocks the release of enveloped viral particles by linking them to the membrane of producing cells. At first, BST-2 genes were described only in humans and other mammals. Recent work identified BST-2 orthologs in nonmammalian vertebrates, including birds. Here, we identify the BST-2 sequence in domestic chicken () for the first time and demonstrate its activity against avian sarcoma and leukosis virus (ASLV). We generated a BST-2 knockout in chicken cells and showed that BST-2 is a major determinant of an interferon-induced block of ASLV release. Ectopic expression of chicken BST-2 blocks the release of ASLV in chicken cells and of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in human cells. Using metabolic labeling and pulse-chase analysis of HIV-1 Gag proteins, we verified that chicken BST-2 blocks the virus at the release stage. Furthermore, we describe BST-2 orthologs in multiple avian species from 12 avian orders. Previously, some of these species were reported to lack BST-2, highlighting the difficulty of identifying sequences of this extremely variable gene. We analyzed BST-2 genes in the avian orders Galliformes and Passeriformes and showed that they evolve under positive selection. This indicates that avian BST-2 is involved in host-virus evolutionary arms races and suggests that BST-2 antagonists exist in some avian viruses. In summary, we show that chicken BST-2 has the potential to act as a restriction factor against ASLV. Characterizing the interaction of avian BST-2 with avian viruses is important in understanding innate antiviral defenses in birds. Birds are important hosts of viruses that have the potential to cause zoonotic infections in humans. However, only a few antiviral genes (called viral restriction factors) have been described in birds, mostly because birds lack counterparts of highly studied mammalian restriction factors. Tetherin/BST-2 is a restriction factor, originally described in humans, that blocks the release of newly formed virus particles from infected cells. Recent work identified BST-2 in nonmammalian vertebrate species, including birds. Here, we report the BST-2 sequence in domestic chicken and describe its antiviral activity against a prototypical avian retrovirus, avian sarcoma and leukosis virus (ASLV). We also identify BST-2 genes in multiple avian species and show that they evolve rapidly in birds, which is an important indication of their relevance for antiviral defense. Analysis of avian BST-2 genes will shed light on defense mechanisms against avian viral pathogens.
Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Avian Proteins; Avian Sarcoma Viruses; Bone Marrow Stromal Antigen 2; Cell Line; Evolution, Molecular; Fibroblasts; Galliformes; Gene Expression Regulation; HEK293 Cells; HIV-1; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Passeriformes; Sarcoma, Avian; Selection, Genetic; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Signal Transduction; Virus Release; Virus Replication; gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
PubMed: 32238588
DOI: 10.1128/JVI.00416-20 -
Journal of Virology May 2020Different from other subgroups of avian leukosis viruses (ALVs), ALV-J is highly pathogenic. It is the main culprit causing myeloid leukemia and hemangioma in chickens....
Different from other subgroups of avian leukosis viruses (ALVs), ALV-J is highly pathogenic. It is the main culprit causing myeloid leukemia and hemangioma in chickens. The distinctiveness of the gene of ALV-J, with low homology to those of other ALVs, is linked to its unique pathogenesis, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Previous studies show that of ALV-J can be grouped into three species based on the tyrosine motifs in the cytoplasmic domain (CTD) of Gp37, i.e., the inhibitory, bifunctional, and active groups. To explore whether the C terminus or the tyrosine motifs in the CTD of Gp37 affect the pathogenicity of ALV-J, a set of ALV-J infectious clones containing different C termini of Gp37 or the mutants at the tyrosine sites were tested and Viral growth kinetics indicated not only that ALV-J with active is the fastest in replication and ALV-J with inhibitory is the lowest but also that the tyrosine sites essentially affected the replication of ALV-J. Moreover, studies demonstrated that chickens infected by ALV-J with active or bifunctional showed higher viremia, cloacal viral shedding, and viral tissue load than those infected by ALV-J with inhibitory Notably, the chickens infected by ALV-J with active or bifunctional showed significant loss of body weight compared with the control chickens. Taken together, these findings reveal that the C terminus of Gp37 plays a vital role in ALV-J pathogenesis, and change from inhibitory to bifunctional or active increases the pathogenesis of ALV-J. ALV-J can cause severe immunosuppression and myeloid leukemia in infected chickens. However, no vaccine or antiviral drug is available against ALV-J, and the mechanism for ALV-J pathogenesis needs to be elucidated. It is generally believed that and of ALV contribute to its pathogenesis. Here, we found that the C terminus and the tyrosine motifs (YxxM, ITIM, and ITAM-like) in the CTD of Gp37 of ALV-J could affect the pathogenicity of ALV-J and The pathogenicity of ALV-J with Gp37 containing ITIM only was significantly less than ALV-J with Gp37 containing both YxxM and ITIM and ALV-J with Gp37 containing both YxxM and ITAM-like. This study highlights the vital role of the C terminus of Gp37 in the pathogenesis of ALV-J and thus provides a new perspective to elucidate the interaction between ALV-J and its host and a molecular basis to develop efficient strategies against ALV-J.
Topics: Amino Acid Motifs; Animals; Avian Leukosis; Avian Leukosis Virus; Cell Line; Chickens; Mutation; Poultry Diseases; Protein Domains; Viral Envelope Proteins
PubMed: 32213616
DOI: 10.1128/JVI.02180-19 -
Poultry Science May 2024Endogenous retroviruses (ERV) are viral genomes integrated into the host genome and can be stably inherited. Although ERV sequences have been reported in some avian...
Endogenous retroviruses (ERV) are viral genomes integrated into the host genome and can be stably inherited. Although ERV sequences have been reported in some avian species' genome, the duck endogenous retroviruses (DERV) genome has yet to be quantified. This study aimed to identify ERV sequences and characterize genes near ERVs in the duck genome by utilizing LTRhavest and LTRdigest tools to forecast the duck genome and analyze the distribution of ERV copies. The results revealed 1,607, 2,031, and 1,908 full-length ERV copies in the Pekin duck (ZJU1.0), Mallard (CAU_wild_1.0), and Shaoxing duck (CAU_laying_1.0) genomes, respectively, with average lengths of 7,046, 7,027, and 6,945 bp. ERVs are mainly distributed on the 1, 2, and sex chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated the presence of Betaretrovirus in 3 duck genomes, whereas Alpharetrovirus was exclusively identified in the Shaoxing duck genome. Through screening, 596, 315, and 343 genes adjacent to ERV were identified in 3 duck genomes, respectively, and their functions of ERV neighboring genes were predicted. Functional enrichment analysis of ERV-adjacent genes revealed enrichment for Focal adhesion, Calcium signaling pathway, and Adherens junction in 3 duck genomes. The overlapped genes were highly expressed in 8 tissues (brain, fat, heart, kidney, liver, lung, skin, and spleen) of 8-wk-old Mallard, revealing their important expression in different tissues. Our study provides a new perspective for understanding the quantity and function of DERVs, and may also provide important clues for regulating nearby genes and affecting the traits of organisms.
Topics: Animals; Ducks; Genome; Phylogeny; Endogenous Retroviruses
PubMed: 38447307
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103543 -
Journal of Virology Mar 2022Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) induces myelocytomas, which can metastasize to multiple organs in diseased chickens. Although metastasis is the primary cause of...
Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) induces myelocytomas, which can metastasize to multiple organs in diseased chickens. Although metastasis is the primary cause of death in such cases, the mechanism for it remains unclear. Here, we found that interaction between ALV-J surface protein (SU) and doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell proliferation. We found that ALV-J can activate EMT in infected cells. Subsequently, proteomics analysis revealed that DCLK1, a well-established putative tumor stem cell marker, which is highly expressed in ALV-J-infected DF-1 cells and chickens, might be a potential factor mediating EMT. Furthermore, using immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation, we verified that SU interacts with DCLK1. Functional studies suggested that overexpression of DCLK1 increased viral replication and promoted cell proliferation by accelerating the progression of cells from the G/G phase to the S phase of cell cycle, whereas RNA interference of DCLK1 reduced viral replication and arrested cell proliferation by retarding cell cycle progression from the late G phase into the S phase in ALV-J-infected cells. Moreover, we demonstrate that the increased accumulation of DCLK1 promotes EMT by increasing the expression of N-cadherin, vimentin, MMP2, and transcription factor Snail1 and decreasing the expression of epithelial marker E-cadherin. These results suggest that ALV-J SU interacts with DCLK1, and accelerates cell proliferation, leading to increased viral replication and ultimately activating EMT, which paves the way for tumor metastasis. Tumor metastasis is a major challenge in cancer research, because of its systemic nature and the resistance of disseminated tumor cells to existing therapeutic agents. It is estimated that >90% of mortality from cancer is attributable to metastases. We found that ALV-J can activate EMT, which plays a critical role in cancer metastasis. Subsequently, we identified a tumor stem cell marker, DCLK1, in ALV-J infected cells, which interacts with surface protein (SU) of ALV-J to promote virus replication, activate EMT, and accelerate cell proliferation enabling ALV-J to obtain metastatic ability. Understanding the process of participation of ALV-J in EMT and the route of metastasis will help elucidate the mechanism of virus-induced tumor metastasis and help identify promising molecular targets and key obstacles for ALV-J control and clinical technology development.
Topics: Animals; Avian Leukosis; Avian Leukosis Virus; Cell Proliferation; Chickens; Doublecortin-Like Kinases; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; Membrane Proteins
PubMed: 35080427
DOI: 10.1128/JVI.01657-21 -
Cells Oct 2022Synergism between avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) and reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) has been reported frequently in co-infected chicken flocks. Although...
Synergism between avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) and reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) has been reported frequently in co-infected chicken flocks. Although significant progress has been made in understanding the tumorigenesis mechanisms of ALV and REV, how these two simple oncogenic retroviruses induce synergistic oncogenicity remains unclear. In this study, we found that ALV-J and REV synergistically promoted mutual replication, suppressed cellular senescence, and activated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro. Mechanistically, structural proteins from ALV-J and REV synergistically activated the expression of Musashi-1(MSI1), which directly targeted pri-miR-147 through its RNA binding site. This inhibited the maturation of miR-147, which relieved the inhibition of NF-κB/KIAA1199/EGFR signaling, thereby suppressing cellular senescence and activating EMT. We revealed a synergistic oncogenicity mechanism induced by ALV-J and REV in vitro. The elucidation of the synergistic oncogenicity of these two simple retroviruses could help in understanding the mechanism of tumorigenesis in ALV-J and REV co-infection and help identify promising molecular targets and key obstacles for the joint control of ALV-J and REV and the development of clinical technologies.
Topics: Animals; Coinfection; Poultry Diseases; NF-kappa B; Avian Leukosis Virus; Chickens; MicroRNAs; Carcinogenesis; ErbB Receptors
PubMed: 36291177
DOI: 10.3390/cells11203312