title: Protein synthesis by HepG2 cells infected with influenza B virus.
abstract: Reye's syndrome is an acute hepatopathy and encephalopathy affecting children during the convalescent period of a viral infection, frequently influenza B. The role of influenza B in the pathogenesis of Reye's syndrome is unknown. To investigate this relationship, an in vitro system was designed to examine the interaction of influenza B virus with a cell line of human hepatocytes (HepG2) which retains many specific hepatic synthetic characteristics. HepG2 was capable of supporting a productive infection by influenza B, although greater virus inputs were required than in fully permissive Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Because of the recent association of Reye's syndrome with aspirin use, the kinetics of influenza B growth were studied in the presence of acetylsalicylic acid (25 and 100 micrograms/ml) and were not found to be altered. Protein synthesis by HepG2 cells was decreased by 80% in influenza B-infected cells when compared to uninfected controls. Acetylsalicylic acid, 100 micrograms/ml, did not affect the rate of 35S-methionine incorporation by infected or uninfected HepG2 cells. The rates of synthesis of specific proteins (albumin, transferrin, and apoprotein B) by HepG2 cells were determined by immunoprecipitation of 35S-methionine labeled cell lysates. After 12 h of infection, synthesis of all three plasma proteins was decreased by 40-60%. These studies describe a useful system for delineation of mechanisms by which influenza B virus interacts with host hepatocytes and the host-cell protein synthetic machinery. The studies could be pertinent to the pathogenesis of Reye's syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Barnard
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Edwards
mesh_terms: D001241:Aspirin / Q000494:pharmacology; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D009981:Influenza B virus / Q000254:growth & development; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008113:Liver Neoplasms; D014776:Virus Cultivation
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D001241:Aspirin