Inhibition of chemokine expression by adenovirus early region three (E3) genes.
Adenoviruses (Ad) have a variety of immunoregulatory genes, many of which are clustered in a 3.5-kb segment of DNA known as early region 3 (E3). Ad E3 codes for proteins that downregulate surface expression of class I major histocompatibility antigens and also inhibit tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha)- and Fas-induced cytolysis. We were interested in determining whether chemokine production or activity might also be inhibited by Ad E3 and we have studied this function in a human astrocytoma cell line, U373. Astrocytes constitute a part of the blood-brain barrier, and chemokines (IP-10, IL-8, MCP-1-4, and MIPs) expressed by them may contribute to leukocyte infiltration within the brain during inflammation. When U373 cells are activated by the proinflammatory molecule TNF-alpha, the increase in chemokine MCP-1, IL-8, and IP-10 transcripts is blocked by a recombinant Ad expressing the E3 genes under cytomegalovirus promoter control. Comparable Ads expressing green fluorescent protein in place of E3 have no effect on these chemokines. Ads also have been extensively studied as gene therapy vectors and most have a deletion of the E3 region to permit the insertion of larger fragments of foreign DNA. Our results suggest that construction of Ad vectors to include E3 expression cassettes will improve the efficacy and safety of such viral-based gene therapy protocols.
Lesokhin
Alexander M
AM
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA.
Delgado-Lopez
Fernando
F
Horwitz
Marshall S
MS
D017503:Adenovirus E3 Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000235:genetics; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D018925:Chemokines / Q000235:genetics*; D019743:Chemokines, CXC / Q000235:genetics; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D015870:Gene Expression; D005814:Genes, Viral; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000235:genetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
D017503:Adenovirus E3 Proteins; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D018925:Chemokines; D019743:Chemokines, CXC; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D016209:Interleukin-8; D016328:NF-kappa B; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha