Interferon alpha inducing property of coronavirus particles and pseudoparticles.
Previous work in our laboratory have provided evidence that the membrane glycoprotein M of TGEV is centrally involved in efficient induction of alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) synthesis by non-immune peripheral blood mononuclear cells incubated with fixed, TGEV-infected cells or inactivated virions. Here we report recent completion of studies initiated to get a better understanding of the nature of the interferogenic determinant(s). Transfected cells expressing TGEV M together with the minor structural component E (formerly called sM) were found to trigger IFN-alpha synthesis. Co-expression of these two proteins was shown to be necessary and sufficient for assembly and release of pseudoparticles resembling TGEV virions. Purified pseudoparticles exhibited an interferogenic activity close to that of authentic virions. Chimeric recombinant particles expressing BCV M ectodomain also induced IFN. Examination of cell cultures infected by viruses representative of the three Nidovirales genera revealed that the capacity to act as an efficient IFN-alpha inducer is a common feature of viral particles of the coronavirus genus. Altogether these data bring new insights regarding the putative nature of the viral structure involved in IFN-alpha induction.
Unité de Virologie Immunologie Moléculaires, INRA, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
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Baudoux
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Besnardeau
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Carrat
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Rottier
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Charley
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Laude
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000502:physiology; D000086862:Coronavirus M Proteins; D017938:Coronavirus, Bovine / Q000235:genetics; D006224:Cricetinae; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005760:Transmissible gastroenteritis virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014709:Vero Cells; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014771:Virion / Q000502:physiology; D019065:Virus Assembly; D014779:Virus Replication
D000086862:Coronavirus M Proteins; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C088325:gene 5b protein, hepatitis virus