Ebola virus glycoprotein demonstrates differential cellular localization in infected cell types of nonhuman primates and guinea pigs.
BACKGROUND
In vitro studies have previously shown that Ebola virus glycoprotein (GP) is rapidly processed and largely released from infected cells, whereas other viral proteins, such as VP40, accumulate within cells.


OBJECTIVE
To determine infected cell types in which Ebola virus GP and VP40, individually, localize in vivo.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization using GP- and VP40-specific antibodies and genetic probes were used to analyze archived tissues of experimentally infected nonhuman primates and guinea pigs and Vero E6 and 293 cells infected in vitro.


RESULTS
The GP antigen was consistently present in hepatocytes, adrenal cortical cells, fibroblasts, fibroblastic reticular cells, ovarian thecal cells, and several types of epithelial cells, but was not detected in macrophages and blood monocytes of animals, nor in Vero cells and 293 cells. All GP-positive and GP-negative cell types analyzed contained VP40 antigen and both GP and VP40 RNAs.


CONCLUSIONS
Ebola virus GP appears to selectively accumulate in many cell types infected in vivo, but not in macrophages and monocytes. This finding suggests that many cell types may have a GP-processing pathway that differs from the pathway described by previous in vitro studies. Differential cellular localization of GP could be relevant to the pathogenesis of Ebola hemorrhagic fever.
Steele
K
K
Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA. ksteele@usuhs.mil
Crise
B
B
Kuehne
A
A
Kell
W
W
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000821:virology*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008264:Macrophages / Q000821:virology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D009000:Monocytes / Q000821:virology; D009698:Nucleoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014709:Vero Cells; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009698:Nucleoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C084819:nucleoprotein VP40, Ebola virus; C110614:transmembrane glycoprotein, Ebola virus