title: Bacillus alcalophilus peptidoglycan induces IFN-alpha-mediated inhibition of vaccinia virus replication.
abstract: Bacterial products such as cell walls (CW) and peptidoglycan (PGN) are known to activate macrophages and NK cells during microbial infections. In this report, we demonstrated that whole CW and PGN of four Gram-positive bacteria are capable of enhancing the anti-poxviral activity of murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. Among the major Bacillus alcalophilus CW components, PGN contributes the most to antiviral activity and induces remarkably higher levels of IFN-alpha. Anti-IFN-alpha/beta antibody, but not anti-IFN-gamma, anti-IFN-gamma receptor, or anti-IL-12, reversed the PGN-induced inhibition of vaccinia virus replication and reduced nitric oxide (NO) production. Our data thus suggest that PGN induce antiviral activity through IFN-alpha and to a lesser extent, through NO production.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Biosystems, Inc., George Mason University, 10900 University Blvd., MSN 1A8 Manassas, VA 20110, USA. ge.liu@analex.com
authors.forename: Ge
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qingzhu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Dustin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schaffner
authors.forename: Taissia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Popova
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hayford
authors.forename: Charlie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alibek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001407:Bacillus / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D009569:Nitric Oxide