Journal
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
Volume 87, Issue 2, Pages 872-881Publisher
AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY
DOI: 10.1128/JVI.02030-12
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Funding
- Frederick Banting & Charles Best Canada Graduate Doctoral Scholarship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
- Alberta Innovates Health Solutions
- Canada Research Chair
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West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-transmitted pathogen that can cause serious disease in humans. Our laboratories are focused on understanding how interactions between WNV proteins and host cells contribute to virus replication and pathogenesis. WNV replication is relatively slow, and on the basis of earlier studies, the virus appears to activate survival pathways that delay host cell death during virus replication. The WNV capsid is the first viral protein produced in infected cells; however, its role in virus assembly is not required until after replication of the genomic RNA. Accordingly, from a temporal perspective, it is perfectly suited to block host cell apoptosis during virus replication. In the present study, we provide evidence that the WNV capsid protein blocks apoptosis through a phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase-dependent pathway. Specifically, expression of this protein in the absence of other viral proteins increases the levels of phosphorylated Akt, a prosurvival kinase that blocks apoptosis through multiple mechanisms. Treatment of cells with the PI 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 abrogates the protective effects of the WNV capsid protein.
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