title: Herpes simplex virus type 2 US3 blocks apoptosis induced by sorbitol treatment.
abstract: Previously, we established HEp2 cell lines which express the US3 protein kinase of herpes simplex virus type 2 upon induction with IPTG. Using these cells, we examined whether expression of US3 is sufficient to protect cells from apoptotic cell death induced by sorbitol. Cells expressing US3 showed significantly reduced nuclear fragmentation in the degree that DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activation were suppressed. It is known that stressors such as osmotic shock and UV irradiation induce the activation of the JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase), which can lead to apoptotic cell death. Expression of US3 resulted in the suppression of sorbitol-induced phosphorylation of JNK and MKK4/SEK1, suggesting that the suppression of apoptotic cell death was due to the attenuation of JNK activity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Research Institute for Disease Mechanism and Control, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Fumi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Goshima
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koshizuka
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takakuwa
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishiyama
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007544:Isopropyl Thiogalactoside / Q000494:pharmacology; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013012:Sorbitol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014764:Viral Proteins
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins; D007544:Isopropyl Thiogalactoside; D013012:Sorbitol; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C084395:US3 protein, Human herpesvirus 2; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; C482559:MAP2K4 protein, human; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases