title: Suppression of coronavirus replication by inhibition of the MEK signaling pathway.
abstract: We previously demonstrated that infection of cultured cells with murine coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) resulted in activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (Raf/MEK/ERK) signal transduction pathway (Y. Cai et al., Virology 355:152-163, 2006). Here we show that inhibition of the Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway by the MEK inhibitor UO126 significantly impaired MHV progeny production (a reduction of 95 to 99% in virus titer), which correlated with the phosphorylation status of ERK1/2. Moreover, knockdown of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 by small interfering RNAs suppressed MHV replication. The inhibitory effect of UO126 on MHV production appeared to be a general phenomenon since the effect was consistently observed in all six different MHV strains and in three different cell types tested; it was likely exerted at the postentry steps of the virus life cycle because the virus titers were similarly inhibited from infected cells treated at 1 h prior to, during, or after infection. Furthermore, the treatment did not affect the virus entry, as revealed by the virus internalization assay. Metabolic labeling and reporter gene assays demonstrated that translation of cellular and viral mRNAs appeared unaffected by UO126 treatment. However, synthesis of viral genomic and subgenomic RNAs was severely suppressed by UO126 treatment, as demonstrated by a reduced incorporation of [3H]uridine and a decrease in chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) activity in a defective-interfering RNA-CAT reporter assay. These findings indicate that the Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway is involved in MHV RNA synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham Street, Slot 511, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.
authors.forename: Yingyun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xuming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002070:Butadienes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D048370:MAP Kinase Kinase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006517:Murine hepatitis virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009570:Nitriles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D002070:Butadienes; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009570:Nitriles; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D012367:RNA, Viral; C113580:U 0126; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1; D048370:MAP Kinase Kinase 2; C482129:Map2k2 protein, mouse