The VSV matrix protein inhibits NF-κB and the interferon response independently in mouse L929 cells

Authors

Kaitlin A. Marquis, Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 14623, USA.
Rachel L. Becker, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, USA.
Amanda N. Weiss, Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 14623, USA.
Matthew C. Morris, Rochester Regional HealthFollow
Maureen C. Ferran, Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 14623, USA.

Department

Research

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Virology

Abstract

The matrix (M) protein of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) plays a key role in immune evasion. While VSV has been thought to suppress the interferon (IFN) response primarily by inhibiting host cell transcription and translation, our recent findings indicate that the M protein also targets NF-κB activation. Therefore, the M protein may utilize two distinct mechanisms to limit expression of antiviral genes, inhibiting both host gene expression and NF-κB activation. Here we characterize a recently reported mutation in the M protein [M(D52G)] of VSV isolate 22-20, which suppressed IFN mRNA and protein production despite activating NF-κB. 22-20 inhibited reporter gene expression from multiple promoters, suggesting that 22-20 suppressed the IFN response via M-mediated inhibition of host cell transcription. We propose that suppression of the IFN response and regulation of NF-κB are independent, genetically separable functions of the VSV M protein.

First Page

117

Last Page

123

DOI

10.1016/j.virol.2020.06.013

Volume

548

Publication Date

9-1-2020

Medical Subject Headings

Animals; Cell Line; Gene Expression Regulation; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Interferon-beta (genetics, immunology); Mice; NF-kappa B (genetics, immunology); Vesicular Stomatitis (genetics, immunology, virology); Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus (genetics, immunology, physiology); Viral Matrix Proteins (genetics, immunology)

PubMed ID

32838932

Recommended Citation

Marquis, K. A., Becker, R. L., Weiss, A. N., Morris, M. C., & Ferran, M. C. (2020). The VSV matrix protein inhibits NF-κB and the interferon response independently in mouse L929 cells. Virology, 548, 117-123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2020.06.013