Efficient multiplication of human metapneumovirus in Vero cells expressing the transmembrane serine protease TMPRSS2.
Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a major causative agent of severe bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Its fusion (F) protein must be cleaved by host proteases to cause membrane fusion, a critical step for virus infection. By generating Vero cells constitutively expressing the transmembrane serine protease TMPRSS2 and green fluorescent protein-expressing recombinant HMPV, we show that TMPRSS2, which is expressed in the human lung epithelium, cleaves the HMPV F protein efficiently and supports HMPV multiplication. The results indicate that TMPRSS2 is a possible candidate protease involved in the development of lower respiratory tract illness in HMPV-infected patients.
Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Yuta
Y
Shirogane
Makoto
M
Takeda
Masaharu
M
Iwasaki
Nobuhisa
N
Ishiguro
Hiroki
H
Takeuchi
Yuichiro
Y
Nakatsu
Maino
M
Tahara
Hideaki
H
Kikuta
Yusuke
Y
Yanagi
D000818:Animals; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology; D008561:Membrane Fusion; D029121:Metapneumovirus / Q000254:growth & development*; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014709:Vero Cells; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C421305:TMPRSS2 protein, human