Wild-type (wt) herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) suppresses cell death. We investigated the apoptotic pathways triggered during infection with mutant viruses ts k and 27lacZ (which lack functional ICP4 and ICP27 viral proteins, respectively) and examined the mechanisms used by wt HSV-1 to protect against programmed cell death induced by the DNA-damaging compound cisplatin. In our studies, we used BHK and HeLa cells, with similar results. We suggest that a decrease in the levels of Bcl-2 protein is a key event during apoptosis induced by the mutant viruses and that Bcl-2 levels are targeted by (i) a decrease of bcl-2 RNA, (ii) caspase-related proteolysis, and (iii) p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK)-dependent destabilization of Bcl-2 protein. We show that wt HSV-1, but not the mutant viruses, maintains bcl-2 RNA and protein levels during infection and protects from the cisplatin-induced decrease in bcl-2 RNA; our data suggest that both ICP27 and ICP4 are required for this function. Additionally, wt HSV-1 evades but does not actively block activation of caspases. Although wt HSV-1 induces p38MAPK activation during infection, it prevents p38MAPK-dependent destabilization of Bcl-2 and exploits p38MAPK stimulation to enhance transcription of specific viral gene promoters to increase viral yields.
CITATION STYLE
Zachos, G., Koffa, M., Preston, C. M., Clements, J. B., & Conner, J. (2001). Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Blocks the Apoptotic Host Cell Defense Mechanisms That Target Bcl-2 and Manipulates Activation of p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase To Improve Viral Replication. Journal of Virology, 75(6), 2710–2728. https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.75.6.2710-2728.2001
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