Dengue virus (DENV) infection, the most common mosquito-transmitted viral infection, can cause a range of diseases from self-limiting dengue fever to life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever and ...shock syndrome. Thrombocytopenia is a major characteristic observed in both mild and severe dengue disease and is significantly correlated with the progression of dengue severity. Previous studies have shown that DENV nonstructural protein 1 (NS1), which can be secreted into patients' blood, can stimulate immune cells via Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and can cause endothelial leakage. However, it is unclear whether DENV NS1 can directly induce platelet activation or cause thrombocytopenia during DENV infection. In this study, we first demonstrated that DENV but not Zika virus cell culture supernatant could induce P-selectin expression and phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure in human platelets, both of which were abolished when NS1 was depleted from the DENV supernatant. Similar results were found using recombinant NS1 from all four serotypes of DENV, and those effects were blocked in the presence of anti-NS1 F(ab')2, anti-TLR4 antibody, a TLR4 antagonist (Rhodobacter sphaeroides lipopolysaccharide, LPS-Rs) and a TLR4 signaling inhibitor (TAK242), but not polymyxin B (an LPS inhibitor). Moreover, the activation of platelets by DENV NS1 promoted subthreshold concentrations of adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation and enhanced platelet adhesion to endothelial cells and phagocytosis by macrophages. Finally, we demonstrated that DENV-induced thrombocytopenia and hemorrhage were attenuated in TLR4 knockout and wild-type mice when NS1 was depleted from DENV supernatant. Taken together, these results suggest that the binding of DENV NS1 to TLR4 on platelets can trigger its activation, which may contribute to thrombocytopenia and hemorrhage during dengue infection.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Dengue virus (DENV) utilizes the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) for replication and assembling. Accumulation of unfolded proteins in the ER lumen leads to ER stress and unfolded protein response (UPR). ...Three branches of UPRs temporally modulated DENV infection. Moreover, ER stress can also induce autophagy. DENV infection induces autophagy which plays a promotive role in viral replication has been reported. However, the role of ER stress in DENV-induced autophagy, viral titer, and pathogenesis remain unclear. Here, we reveal that ER stress and its downstream UPRs are indispensable for DENV-induced autophagy in various human cells. We demonstrate that PERK-eIF2α and IRE1α-JNK signaling pathways increased autophagy and viral load after DENV infection. However, ATF6-related pathway showed no effect on autophagy and viral replication. IRE1α-JNK downstream molecule Bcl-2 was phosphorylated by activated JNK and dissociated from Beclin 1, which playing a critical role in autophagy activation. These findings were confirmed as decreased viral titer, attenuated disease symptoms, and prolonged survival rate in the presence of JNK inhibitor in vivo. In summary, we are the first to reveal that DENV2-induced ER stress increases autophagy activity, DENV replication, and pathogenesis through two UPR signaling pathways both in vitro and in vivo.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Annexin A2 (ANXA2), a phospholipid-binding protein, has multiple biological functions depending on its cellular localization. We previously demonstrated that IFN-γ-triggered ANXA2 secretion is ...associated with exosomal release. Here, we show that IFN-γ-induced autophagy is essential for the extracellular secretion of ANXA2 in lung epithelial cells. We observed colocalization of ANXA2-containing autophagosomes with multivesicular bodies (MVBs) after IFN-γ stimulation, followed by exosomal release. IFN-γ-induced exophagic release of ANXA2 could not be observed in ATG5-silenced or mutant RAB11-expressing cells. Furthermore, knockdown of RAB8A and RAB27A, but not RAB27B, reduced IFN-γ-triggered ANXA2 secretion. Surface translocation of ANXA2 enhanced efferocytosis by epithelial cells, and inhibition of different exophagic steps, including autophagosome formation, fusion of autophagosomes with MVBs, and fusion of amphisomes with plasma membrane, reduced ANXA2-mediated efferocytosis. Our data reveal a novel route of IFN-γ-induced exophagy of ANXA2.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Dengue virus infection presents a wide spectrum of manifestations including asymptomatic condition, dengue fever (DF), or severe forms, such as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock ...syndrome (DSS) in affected individuals. The early prediction of severe dengue in patients without any warning signs who may later develop severe DHF is very important to choose appropriate intensive supportive therapy since available vaccines for immunization are yet to be approved. Severe dengue responses include T and B cell activation and apoptosis, cytokine storm, hematologic disorders and complement activation. Cytokines, complement and other unidentified factors may transiently act on the endothelium and alter normal fluid barrier function of the endothelial cells and cause plasma leakage. In this review, the host factors such as activated immune and endothelial cells and their products which can be utilized as biomarkers for severe dengue disease are discussed.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Vascular leakage is one of the salient characteristics of severe dengue. Nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) of dengue virus (DENV) can stimulate endothelial cells to secrete endothelial hyperpermeability ...factor, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), and the glycocalyx degradation factor heparanase 1 (HPA-1). However, it is unclear whether MIF is directly involved in NS1-induced glycocalyx degradation. In this study, we observed that among NS1, MIF and glycocalyx degradation-related molecules, the HPA-1, metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and syndecan 1 (CD138) serum levels were all increased in dengue patients, and only NS1 and MIF showed a positive correlation with the CD138 level in severe patients. To further characterize and clarify the relationship between MIF and CD138, we used recombinant NS1 to stimulate human cells in vitro and challenge mice in vivo. Our tabulated results suggested that NS1 stimulation could induce human endothelial cells to secrete HPA-1 and immune cells to secrete MMP-9, resulting in endothelial glycocalyx degradation and hyperpermeability. Moreover, HPA-1, MMP-9, and CD138 secretion after NS1 stimulation was blocked by MIF inhibitors or antibodies both in vitro and in mice. Taken together, these results suggest that MIF directly engages in dengue NS1-induced glycocalyx degradation and that targeting MIF may represent a possible therapeutic approach for preventing dengue-induced vascular leakage.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in Taiwan. Although chemotherapy is the primary treatment for HCC patients, drug resistance often leads to clinical failure. ...Galectin-1 is a beta-galactoside binding lectin which is up-regulated in HCC patients and promotes tumor growth by mediating cancer cell adhesion, migration and proliferation, but its role in chemoresistance of HCC is poorly understood. In this study we found that galectin-1 is able to lead to chemoresistance against cisplatin treatment, and subsequent inhibition has reversed the effect of cell death in HCC cells. Moreover, galectin-1 was found to induce autophagic flux in HCC cells. Inhibition of autophagy by inhibitors or knockdown of Atg5 cancels galectin-1-induced cisplatin resistance in HCC cells. Increase of mitophagy triggered by galectin-1 was found to reduce the mitochondrial potential loss and apoptosis induced by cisplatin treatment. Finally, using an in situ hepatoma mouse model, we clearly demonstrated that inhibition of galectin-1 by thiodigalactoside could significantly augment the anti-HCC effect of cisplatin. Taken together, our findings offer a new insight into the chemoresistance galectin-1 causes against cisplatin treatment, and points to a potential approach to improve the efficacy of cisplatin in the treatment of HCC patients.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Dengue virus (DENV) infection can induce life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome in infected patients. DENV is a threat to global health due to its growing numbers and ...incidence of infection in the last 50 years. During infection, DENV expresses ten structural and nonstructural proteins modulating cell responses to benefit viral replication. However, the lack of knowledge regarding the cellular proteins and their functions in enhancing DENV pathogenesis impedes the development of antiviral drugs and therapies against fatal DENV infection. Here, we identified that integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is a novel enhancing factor for DENV infection by suppressing type I interferon (IFN) responses. Mechanistically, ILK binds DENV NS1 and NS3, activates Akt and Erk, and induces NF-κB-driven suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) expression. Elevated SOCS3 in DENV-infected cells inhibits phosphorylation of STAT1/2 and expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Inhibiting ILK, Akt, or Erk activation abrogates SOCS3 expression. In DENV-infected mice, the treatment of an ILK inhibitor significantly reduces viral loads in the brains, disease severity, and mortality rate. Collectively, our results show that ILK is a potential therapeutic target against DENV infection.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is deleterious pathogenic bacteria whose interaction with blood vessels leads to life-threatening bacteremia. Although xenophagy, a special form of autophagy, eliminates ...invading GAS in epithelial cells, we found that GAS could survive and multiply in endothelial cells. Endothelial cells were competent in starvation-induced autophagy, but failed to form double-membrane structures surrounding GAS, an essential step in xenophagy. This deficiency stemmed from reduced recruitment of ubiquitin and several core autophagy proteins in endothelial cells, as demonstrated by the fact that it could be rescued by exogenous coating of GAS with ubiquitin. The defect was associated with reduced NO-mediated ubiquitin signaling. Therefore, we propose that the lack of efficient clearance of GAS in endothelial cells is caused by their intrinsic inability to target GAS with ubiquitin to promote autophagosome biogenesis for xenophagy.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Kallistatin, an endogenous serine proteinase inhibitor, is protective against sepsis in animal models. The aim of this study was to determine the plasma concentration of kallistatin in intensive care ...unit (ICU) patients with severe sepsis and septic shock and to determine their potential correlation with disease severity and outcomes. We enrolled 86 ICU patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. Their plasma concentrations of kallistatin, kallikrein, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The association of kallistatin levels with disease severity and patient outcomes was evaluated. The relationship between kallistatin and other biomarkers was also analyzed. Plasma kallistatin levels on day 1 of ICU admission were lower in patients with septic shock compared with patients with severe sepsis (p = 0.004). Twenty-nine patients who died in the hospital had significantly lower day 1 kallistatin levels than patients who survived (p = 0.031). Using the optimal cutoff value (4 μg/ml) of day 1 plasma kallistatin determined by receiver operating characteristic curves for 60-day mortality, we found that high kallistatin levels were associated with a preferable 60-day survival (p = 0.012) by Kaplan-Meier analysis and lower Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores over the first 5 days in the ICU (p = 0.001). High kallistatin levels were also independently associated with a decreased risk of septic shock, the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome, and positive blood cultures. In addition, there were inverse correlations between day 1 kallistatin levels and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and C-reactive protein, and SOFA scores on day 1. Our results indicate that during severe sepsis and septic shock, a decrease in plasma concentrations of kallistatin reflects increased severity and poorer outcome of disease.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK