title: Human cytomegalovirus-induced upregulation of intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 on villous syncytiotrophoblasts.
abstract: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is secreted apically from villous trophoblasts, thus congenital infection is not likely to occur by basal release across the basement membrane. As an alternative route, we hypothesize that an HCMV-infected villous syncytiotrophoblast (ST) upregulates intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, causing blood monocytes to bind to the ST and induce apoptosis. Purified (>99.99%) populations of human villous trophoblasts were differentiated into an ST-like culture, infected with HCMV strain AD169, and assessed for ICAM-1 expression by immunofluorescence. Infection strongly upregulated ICAM-1 24 h after challenge. ICAM-1 was also stimulated by transfection with viral genes IE2-55, IE1-72, and IE2-86, but not by UV-inactivated virus. Infection with a green fluorescent protein recombinant virus allowed infection and ICAM-1 expression to be topographically located. We found that ICAM-1 was expressed on both infected and noninfected cells. Furthermore, antibody to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha and, to a lesser extent, interleukin (IL)1 beta inhibited ICAM-1 upregulation on noninfected cells but not on infected cells. We conclude that HCMV IE proteins stimulate ICAM-1 expression on villous trophoblasts by paracrine release of TNF alpha and IL1 beta, as well as by a direct effect on infected cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2S2, Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Stinski
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Guilbert
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D019899:Paracrine Communication; D011247:Pregnancy; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C088645:IE1 protein, cytomegalovirus; C069186:IE2 protein, Cytomegalovirus; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014764:Viral Proteins; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1