Inhibition of transcription of herpes simplex virus immediate early genes in interferon-treated human cells.
The effect of interferon (IFN) treatment on the early stages of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) replication in three types of human cells was investigated. Interferon pretreatment was shown to reduce the steady state levels of both total and polysomebound HSV-1 immediate early alpha mRNAs. Using the nuclear run-off transcription assay, we showed that IFN selectively inhibited transcription of the HSV-1 genes, with no effect on transcription of total cellular RNA or that of the beta-tubulin RNA. Thus, IFN appears to inhibit the initiation of HSV-1 alpha gene transcription rather than affect the stability of the respective mRNAs. IFN did not prevent the HSV-1-induced early shut-off of host cellular protein synthesis caused by a structural protein of infecting virus. This observation indicated that the IFN-mediated inhibition of HSV-1 replication is at a stage beyond viral penetration into the cytoplasm. These results suggested that IFN blocked HSV-1 replication primarily at a very early stage, during the onset of alpha mRNA transcription.
Oberman
F
F
Department of Virology, Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
Panet
A
A
D002460:Cell Line; D004686:Encephalomyocarditis virus / Q000502:physiology; D005347:Fibroblasts; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D007372:Interferons / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014779:Virus Replication
C050678:IE1 protein, Human herpesvirus 1; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D007372:Interferons