Bala Chandran

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) exhibits both lytic and latent (Lat. I, II, and III) phases in an infected individual. It’s during the latent phase of EBV that all EBV-associated cancers, including Burkitt’s lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma and lymphoproliferative disease arise. Interferon-γ-inducible protein 16 (IFI16) is a well-established innate immune sensor and viral transcriptional regulator involved in response to invading DNA viruses. During latency, IFI16 remains in the nucleus, in part bound to the EBV genome; however, neither its role in EBV lytic cycle or latency has been established. Short interfering RNA against IFI16 and IFI16 overexpression were used to identify the role of IFI16 in the maintenance of EBV latency I. We also studied how induction of the lytic cycle affected IFI16 using the EBV positive, latently infected Akata or MUTU-1 cell lines. Akata cells were induced with TPA and MUTU-1 cells with TGF-β up to 96 h and changes in IFI16 protein were analyzed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence microscopy. To assess the mechanism of IFI16 decrease, EBV DNA replication and late lytic transcripts were blocked using the viral DNA polymerase inhibitor phosphonoacetic acid. Knockdown of IFI16 mRNA by siRNA resulted in enhanced levels of EBV lytic gene expression from all temporal gene classes, as well as an increase in the total EBV genome abundance, whereas overexpression of exogenous IFI16 reversed these effects. Furthermore, 96 h after induction of the lytic cycle with either TPA (Akata) or TGF-β (MUTU-1), IFI16 protein levels decreased up to 80% as compared to the EBV-negative cell line BJAB. Reduction in IFI16 was observed in cells expressing EBV lytic envelope glycoprotein. The decreased levels of IFI16 protein do not appear to be dependent on late lytic transcripts of EBV but suggest involvement of the immediate early, early, or a combination of both gene classes. Reduction of IFI16 protein levels following lytic cycle induction, as well as reactivation from latency after IFI16 mRNA knockdown suggests that IFI16 is crucial for the maintenance of EBV latency. More importantly, these results identify IFI16 as a unique host factor protein involved in the EBV lifecycle, making it a potential therapeutic target to combat EBV-related malignancies.

Kaposi’s sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is etiologically associated with human endothelial cell hyperplastic Kaposi’s sarcoma and B-cell primary effusion lymphoma. KSHV infection of adherent endothelial and fibroblast cells are used as in vitro models for infection and KSHV enters these cells by host membrane bleb and actin mediated macropinocytosis or clathrin endocytosis pathways, respectively. Infection in endothelial and fibroblast cells is initiated by the interactions between multiple viral envelope glycoproteins and cell surface associated heparan sulfate (HS), integrins (α3β1, αVβ3 and αVβ5), and EphA2 receptor tyrosine kinase (EphA2R). This review summarizes the accumulated studies demonstrating that KSHV manipulates the host signal pathways to enter and traffic in the cytoplasm of the target cells, to deliver the viral genome into the nucleus, and initiate viral gene expression. KSHV interactions with the cell surface receptors is the key platform for the manipulations of host signal pathways which results in the simultaneous induction of FAK, Src, PI3-K, Rho-GTPase, ROS, Dia-2, PKC ζ, c-Cbl, CIB1, Crk, p130Cas and GEF-C3G signal and adaptor molecules that play critical roles in the modulation of membrane and actin dynamics, and in the various steps of the early stages of infection such as entry and trafficking towards the nucleus. The Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport (ESCRT) proteins are also recruited to assist in viral entry and trafficking. In addition, KSHV interactions with the cell surface receptors also induces the host transcription factors NF-κB, ERK1/2, and Nrf2 early during infection to initiate and modulate viral and host gene expression. Nuclear delivery of the viral dsDNA genome is immediately followed by the host innate responses such as the DNA damage response (DDR), inflammasome and interferon responses. Overall, these studies form the initial framework for further studies of simultaneous targeting of KSHV glycoproteins, host receptor, signal molecules and trafficking machinery that would lead into novel therapeutic methods to prevent KSHV infection of target cells and consequently the associated malignancies.

IFI16 (gamma-interferon-inducible protein 16), a predominantly nuclear protein involved in transcriptional regulation, also functions as an innate immune response DNA sensor and induces the IL-1β and antiviral type-1 interferon-β (IFN-β) cytokines. We have shown that IFI16, in association with BRCA1, functions as a sequence independent nuclear sensor of episomal dsDNA genomes of KSHV, EBV and HSV-1. Recognition of these herpesvirus genomes resulted in IFI16 acetylation, BRCA1-IFI16-ASC-procaspase-1 inflammasome formation, cytoplasmic translocation, and IL-1β generation. Acetylated IFI16 also interacted with cytoplasmic STING and induced IFN-β. However, the identity of IFI16 associated nuclear proteins involved in STING activation and the mechanism is not known. Mass spectrometry of proteins precipitated by anti-IFI16 antibodies from uninfected endothelial cell nuclear lysate revealed that histone H2B interacts with IFI16. Single and double proximity ligation microscopy, immunoprecipitation, EdU-genome labeled virus infection, and chromatin immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that H2B is associated with IFI16 and BRCA1 in the nucleus in physiological conditions. De novo KSHV and HSV-1 infection as well as latent KSHV and EBV infection induces the cytoplasmic distribution of H2B-IFI16, H2B-BRCA1 and IFI16-ASC complexes. Vaccinia virus (dsDNA) cytoplasmic replication didn’t induce the redistribution of nuclear H2B-IFI16 or H2B into the cytoplasm. H2B is critical in KSHV and HSV-1 genome recognition by IFI16 during de novo infection. Viral genome sensing by IFI16-H2B-BRCA1 leads to BRCA1 dependent recruitment of p300, and acetylation of H2B and IFI16. BRCA1 knockdown or inhibition of p300 abrogated the acetylation of H2B-IFI16 or H2B. Ran-GTP protein mediated the translocation of acetylated H2B and IFI16 to the cytoplasm along with BRCA1 that is independent of IFI16-ASC inflammasome. ASC knockdown didn’t affect the acetylation of H2B, its cytoplasmic transportation, and the association of STING with IFI16 and H2B during KSHV infection. Absence of H2B didn’t affect IFI16-ASC association and cytoplasmic distribution and thus demonstrating that IFI16-H2B complex is independent of IFI16-ASC-procaspase-1-inflammasome complex formed during infection. The H2B-IFI16-BRCA1 complex interacted with cGAS and STING in the cytoplasm leading to TBK1 and IRF3 phosphorylation, nuclear translocation of pIRF3 and IFN-β production. Silencing of H2B, cGAS and STING inhibited IFN-β induction but not IL-1β secretion, and cGAMP activity is significantly reduced by H2B and IFI16 knockdown during infection. Silencing of ASC inhibited IL-1β secretion but not IFN-β secretion during de novo KSHV and HSV-1 infection. These studies identify H2B as an innate nuclear sensor mediating a novel extra chromosomal function, and reveal that two IFI16 complexes mediate KSHV and HSV-1 genome recognition responses, with recognition by the IFI16-BRCA1-H2B complex resulting in IFN-β responses and recognition by IFI16-BRCA1 resulting in inflammasome responses. Eukaryotic cells elicit innate immune responses against invading microbes including viruses. IFI16, a predominantly nuclear protein, has emerged as an innate response nuclear DNA sensor. Recognition of nuclear KSHV, HSV-1 and EBV dsDNA genomes by IFI16-BRCA1 leads to IFI16 acetylation, cytoplasmic translocation of the BRCA1-IFI16-ASC-procaspase-1 inflammasome complex and IL-1β generation. Here, we demonstrate that histone H2B is associated with IFI16-BRCA1 in the nucleus under physiological conditions. Recognition of nuclear viral genomes by IFI16-H2B-BRCA1 leads to BRCA1-p300 mediated acetylation of H2B and IFI16, and cytoplasmic transport of H2B-IFI16-BRCA1 via Ran GTP protein. The inflammasome independent cytoplasmic IFI16-H2B-BRCA1 complex interacts with cGAS and STING resulting in TBK1 and IRF3 phosphorylation, and nuclear pIRF3-mediated IFN-β induction. H2B knockdown inhibits IFN-β production while ASC silencing doesn’t affect IFN-β induction. Our studies identify H2B as an innate nuclear sensor and reveal that two IFI16 complexes mediate nuclear herpesviral genome recognition responses, IFI16-BRCA1-H2B-IFN-β responses and IFI16-BRCA1-inflammasome responses.

IFI16 (interferon gamma-inducible protein 16) recognizes nuclear episomal herpesvirus (Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus [KSHV], Epstein-Barr virus [EBV], and herpes simplex virus 1 [HSV-1]) genomes and induces the inflammasome and interferon beta responses. It also acts as a lytic replication restriction factor and inhibits viral DNA replication (human cytomegalovirus [HCMV] and human papillomavirus [HPV]) and transcription (HSV-1, HCMV, and HPV) through epigenetic modifications of the viral genomes. To date, the role of IFI16 in the biology of latent viruses is not known. Here, we demonstrate that knockdown of IFI16 in the latently KSHV-infected B-lymphoma BCBL-1 and BC-3 cell lines results in lytic reactivation and increases in levels of KSHV lytic transcripts, proteins, and viral genome replication. Similar results were also observed during KSHV lytic cycle induction in TREX-BCBL-1 cells with the doxycycline-inducible lytic cycle switch replication and transcription activator (RTA) gene. Overexpression of IFI16 reduced lytic gene induction by the chemical agent 12- O -tetradecoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). IFI16 protein levels were significantly reduced or absent in TPA- or doxycycline-induced cells expressing lytic KSHV proteins. IFI16 is polyubiquitinated and degraded via the proteasomal pathway. The degradation of IFI16 was absent in phosphonoacetic acid-treated cells, which blocks KSHV DNA replication and, consequently, late lytic gene expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays of BCBL-1 and BC-3 cells demonstrated that IFI16 binds to KSHV gene promoters. Uninfected epithelial SLK and osteosarcoma U2OS cells transfected with KSHV luciferase promoter constructs confirmed that IFI16 functions as a transcriptional repressor. These results reveal that KSHV utilizes the innate immune nuclear DNA sensor IFI16 to maintain its latency and repression of lytic transcripts, and a late lytic KSHV gene product(s) targets IFI16 for degradation during lytic reactivation. IMPORTANCE Like all herpesviruses, latency is an integral part of the life cycle of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), an etiological agent for many human cancers. Herpesviruses utilize viral and host factors to successfully evade the host immune system to maintain latency. Reactivation is a complex event where the latent episomal viral genome springs back to active transcription of lytic cycle genes. Our studies reveal that KSHV has evolved to utilize the innate immune sensor IFI16 to keep lytic cycle transcription in dormancy. We demonstrate that IFI16 binds to the lytic gene promoter, acts as a transcriptional repressor, and thereby helps to maintain latency. We also discovered that during the late stage of lytic replication, KSHV selectively degrades IFI16, thus relieving transcriptional repression. This is the first report to demonstrate the role of IFI16 in latency maintenance of a herpesvirus, and further understanding will lead to the development of strategies to eliminate latent infection.

BRCA1-regulated nuclear innate sensing of Herpesviral genome by IFI16 and IFI16’s acetylation is critical for its cytoplasmic trafficking and induction of innate responses

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is etiologically associated with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), and multicentric Castleman's disease. We have previously shown that KSHV utilizes the host transcription factor Nrf2 to aid in infection of endothelial cells and oncogenesis. Here, we investigate the role of Nrf2 in PEL and PEL-derived cell lines and show that KSHV latency induces Nrf2 protein levels and transcriptional activity through the COX-2/PGE2/EP4/PKCζ axis. Next-generation sequencing of KSHV transcripts in the PEL-derived BCBL-1 cell line revealed that knockdown of this activated Nrf2 results in global elevation of lytic genes. Nrf2 inhibition by the chemical brusatol also induces lytic gene expression. Both Nrf2 knockdown and brusatol-mediated inhibition induced KSHV lytic reactivation in BCBL-1 cells. In a series of follow-up experiments, we characterized the mechanism of Nrf2-mediated regulation of KSHV lytic repression during latency. Biochemical assays showed that Nrf2 interacted with KSHV latency-associated nuclear antigen 1 (LANA-1) and the host transcriptional repressor KAP1, which together have been shown to repress lytic gene expression. Promoter studies showed that although Nrf2 alone induces the open reading frame 50 (ORF50) promoter, its association with LANA-1 and KAP1 abrogates this effect. Interestingly, LANA-1 is crucial for efficient KAP1/Nrf2 association, while Nrf2 is essential for LANA-1 and KAP1 recruitment to the ORF50 promoter and its repression. Overall, these results suggest that activated Nrf2, LANA-1, and KAP1 assemble on the ORF50 promoter in a temporal fashion. Initially, Nrf2 binds to and activates the ORF50 promoter during early de novo infection, an effect that is exploited during latency by LANA-1-mediated recruitment of the host transcriptional repressor KAP1 on Nrf2. Cell death assays further showed that Nrf2 and KAP1 knockdown induce significant cell death in PEL cell lines. Our studies suggest that Nrf2 modulation through available oral agents is a promising therapeutic approach in the treatment of KSHV-associated malignancies. IMPORTANCE KS and PEL are aggressive KSHV-associated malignancies with moderately effective, highly toxic chemotherapies. Other than ganciclovir and alpha interferon (IFN-α) prophylaxis, no KSHV-associated chemotherapy targets the underlying infection, a major oncogenic force. Hence, drugs that selectively target KSHV infection are necessary to eradicate the malignancy while sparing healthy cells. We recently showed that KSHV infection of endothelial cells activates the transcription factor Nrf2 to promote an environment conducive to infection and oncogenesis. Nrf2 is modulated through several well-tolerated oral agents and may be an important target in KSHV biology. Here, we investigate the role of Nrf2 in PEL and demonstrate that Nrf2 plays an important role in KSHV gene expression, lytic reactivation, and cell survival by interacting with the host transcriptional repressor KAP1 and the viral latency-associated protein LANA-1 to mediate global lytic gene repression and thus cell survival. Hence, targeting Nrf2 with available therapies is a viable approach in the treatment of KSHV malignancies.

Many cancer cells exhibit reduced mitochondrial respiration as part of metabolic reprogramming to support tumor growth. Mitochondrial localization of several protein tyrosine kinases is linked to this characteristic metabolic shift in solid tumors, but remains largely unknown in blood cancer. Lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (Lck) is a key T-cell kinase and widely implicated in blood malignancies. The purpose of our study is to determine whether and how Lck contributes to metabolic shift in T-cell leukemia through mitochondrial localization. We compared the human leukemic T-cell line Jurkat with its Lck-deficient derivative Jcam cell line. Differences in mitochondrial respiration were measured by the levels of mitochondrial membrane potential, oxygen consumption, and mitochondrial superoxide. Detailed mitochondrial structure was visualized by transmission electron microscopy. Lck localization was evaluated by subcellular fractionation and confocal microscopy. Proteomic analysis was performed to identify proteins co-precipitated with Lck in leukemic T-cells. Protein interaction was validated by biochemical co-precipitation and confocal microscopy, followed by in situ proximity ligation assay microscopy to confirm close-range (<16 nm) interaction. Jurkat cells have abnormal mitochondrial structure and reduced levels of mitochondrial respiration, which is associated with the presence of mitochondrial Lck and lower levels of mitochondrion-encoded electron transport chain proteins. Proteomics identified CR6-interacting factor 1 (CRIF1) as the novel Lck-interacting protein. Lck association with CRIF1 in Jurkat mitochondria was confirmed biochemically and by microscopy, but did not lead to CRIF1 tyrosine phosphorylation. Consistent with the role of CRIF1 in functional mitoribosome, shRNA-mediated silencing of CRIF1 in Jcam resulted in mitochondrial dysfunction similar to that observed in Jurkat. Reduced interaction between CRIF1 and Tid1, another key component of intramitochondrial translational machinery, in Jurkat further supports the role of mitochondrial Lck as a negative regulator of CRIF1 through competitive binding. This is the first report demonstrating the role of mitochondrial Lck in metabolic reprogramming of leukemic cells. Mechanistically, it is distinct from other reported mitochondrial protein tyrosine kinases. In a kinase-independent manner, mitochondrial Lck interferes with mitochondrial translational machinery through competitive binding to CRIF1. These findings may reveal novel approaches in cancer therapy by targeting cancer cell metabolism.

The IL-1β and type I interferon-β (IFN-β) molecules are important inflammatory cytokines elicited by the eukaryotic host as innate immune responses against invading pathogens and danger signals. Recently, a predominantly nuclear gamma-interferon-inducible protein 16 (IFI16) involved in transcriptional regulation has emerged as an innate DNA sensor which induced IL-1β and IFN-β production through inflammasome and STING activation, respectively. Herpesvirus (KSHV, EBV, and HSV-1) episomal dsDNA genome recognition by IFI16 leads to IFI16-ASC-procaspase-1 inflammasome association, cytoplasmic translocation and IL-1β production. Independent of ASC, HSV-1 genome recognition results in IFI16 interaction with STING in the cytoplasm to induce interferon-β production. However, the mechanisms of IFI16-inflammasome formation, cytoplasmic redistribution and STING activation are not known. Our studies here demonstrate that recognition of herpesvirus genomes in the nucleus by IFI16 leads into its interaction with histone acetyltransferase p300 and IFI16 acetylation resulting in IFI16-ASC interaction, inflammasome assembly, increased interaction with Ran-GTPase, cytoplasmic redistribution, caspase-1 activation, IL-1β production, and interaction with STING which results in IRF-3 phosphorylation, nuclear pIRF-3 localization and interferon-β production. ASC and STING knockdowns did not affect IFI16 acetylation indicating that this modification is upstream of inflammasome-assembly and STING-activation. Vaccinia virus replicating in the cytoplasm did not induce nuclear IFI16 acetylation and cytoplasmic translocation. IFI16 physically associates with KSHV and HSV-1 genomes as revealed by proximity ligation microscopy and chromatin-immunoprecipitation studies which is not hampered by the inhibition of acetylation, thus suggesting that acetylation of IFI16 is not required for its innate sensing of nuclear viral genomes. Collectively, these studies identify the increased nuclear acetylation of IFI16 as a dynamic essential post-genome recognition event in the nucleus that is common to the IFI16-mediated innate responses of inflammasome induction and IFN-β production during herpesvirus (KSHV, EBV, HSV-1) infections. Herpesviruses establish a latent infection in the nucleus of specific cells and reactivation results in the nuclear viral dsDNA replication and infectious virus production. Host innate responses are initiated by the presence of viral genomes and their products, and nucleus associated IFI16 protein has recently emerged as an innate DNA sensor regulating inflammatory cytokines and type I interferon (IFN) production. IFI16 recognizes the herpesvirus genomes (KSHV, EBV, and HSV-1) in the nucleus resulting in the formation of the IFI16-ASC-Caspase-1 inflammasome complex and IL-1β production. HSV-1 genome recognition by IFI16 in the nucleus also leads to STING activation in the cytoplasm and IFN-β production. However, how IFI16 initiates inflammasome assembly and activates STING in the cytoplasm after nuclear recognition of viral genome are not known. We show that herpesvirus genome recognition in the nucleus by IFI16 leads to interaction with histone acetyltransferase-p300 and IFI16 acetylation which is essential for inflammasome assembly in the nucleus and cytoplasmic translocation, activation of STING in the cytoplasm and IFN-β production. These studies provide insight into a common molecular mechanism for the innate inflammasome assembly and STING activation response pathways that result in IL-1β and IFN-β production, respectively.

The innate immune system pattern recognition receptors (PRR) are the first line of host defenses recognizing the various pathogen- or danger-associated molecular patterns and eliciting defenses by regulating the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-18 or interferon β (IFN-β). NOD-like receptors (NLRs) and AIM2-like receptors (ALRs) are cytoplasmic inflammasome sensors of foreign molecules, including DNA. IFI16, a sequence-independent nuclear innate sensor ALR, recognizes episomal dsDNA genomes of herpes viruses such as KSHV, EBV, and HSV-1 in the infected cell nuclei, forms an inflammasome complex with ASC and procaspase1, and relocates into the cytoplasm leading into Caspase-1 and IL-1β generation. IFI16 also induces IFN-β during HSV-1 infection via the cytoplasmic STING-TBK1-IRF3 pathway. Thus far, whether IFI16 recognizes foreign DNA directly or utilizes other host protein(s) is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that BRCA1, a DNA damage repair sensor and transcription regulator, is in complex with IFI16 in the host cell nucleus, and their association increases in the presence of nuclear viral genomes during de novo KSHV, EBV and HSV-1 infection, and in latent KSHV or EBV infection, but not by DNA damage responses (DDR) induced by bleomycin and vaccinia virus cytoplasmic dsDNA. BRCA1 is a constituent of the triggered IFI16-inflammasome and is translocated into the cytoplasm after genome recognition along with the IFI16-inflammasome. The absence of BRCA1 abrogated IFI16-viral genome association, inflammasome assembly, IFI16 cytoplasmic localization, and Caspase-1 and IL-1β production. The absence of BRCA1 also abolished the cytoplasmic IFI16-STING interaction, downstream IRF3 phosphorylation, nuclear translocation of pIRF3 and IFN-β production during de novo KSHV and HSV-1 infection. These findings highlight that BRCA1 plays a hitherto unidentified innate immunomodulatory role by facilitating nuclear foreign DNA sensing by IFI16, subsequent assembly and cytoplasmic distribution of IFI16-inflammasomes leading into IL-1β formation and the induction of IFN-β via cytoplasmic signaling through IFI16-STING, TBK1 and IRF3. Invasion of a host cell by pathogens, including viruses, is sensed by pattern-recognition receptors resulting in the elicitation of the host innate defenses such as the formation of multi-protein inflammasome complexes, inflammatory IL-1β and IL-18 cytokine production and interferon-β production via the cytoplasmic STING molecule. We have shown that nuclear episomal viral DNA genomes of herpes viruses (KSHV, EBV and HSV-1) are sensed by the nuclear resident IFI16 protein, resulting in the formation of the IFI16-ASC-procaspase-1 inflammasome complex. Here, we show that BRCA1 promotes viral DNA sensing by IFI16 in the nucleus and is a constituent of the triggered IFI16-ASC-procaspase-1 inflammasome. IFI16 and BRCA1 are in complex in the nucleus and their association increases in the presence of KSHV, EBV or HSV-1 genomes, but not by the DNA damage response or vaccinia virus cytoplasmic dsDNA. The absence of BRCA1 results in abrogated IFI16-genome association, IFI16 cytoplasmic translocation, IL-1β production, IFI16 interaction with STING, IRF3 phosphorylation, pIRF3 nuclear translocation, and IFN-β induction. Taken together, these results demonstrate a crucial and novel role of BRCA1 in the innate sensing of viral DNA and subsequent induction of the inflammasome and interferon-β responses.