Human metapneumovirus glycoprotein G inhibits TLR4-dependent signaling in monocyte-derived dendritic cells

J Immunol. 2011 Jul 1;187(1):47-54. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1002589. Epub 2011 Jun 1.

Abstract

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a major cause of upper and lower respiratory infections in children and adults. Recent work from our group demonstrated that hMPV G glycoprotein is an important virulence factor, responsible for inhibiting innate immune responses in airway epithelial cells. Myeloid dendritic cells (DCs) are potent APCs and play a major role in initiating and modulating the innate and adaptive immune responses. In this study, we found that TLR4 plays a major role in hMPV-induced activation of monocyte-derived DCs (moDCs), as downregulation of its expression by small interfering RNA significantly blocked hMPV-induced chemokine and type I IFN expression. Similar results were found in bone marrow-derived DCs from TLR4-deficient mice. moDCs infected with a virus lacking G protein expression produced higher levels of cytokines and chemokines compared with cells infected with wild-type virus, suggesting that G protein plays an inhibitory role in viral-induced cellular responses. Specifically, G protein affects TLR4-dependent signaling, as infection of moDCs with recombinant hMPV lacking G protein inhibited LPS-induced production of cytokine and chemokines significantly less than did wild-type virus, and treatment of moDCs with purified G protein resulted in a similar inhibition of LPS-dependent signaling. Our results demonstrate that hMPV G protein plays an important role in inhibiting host innate immune responses, likely affecting adaptive responses too.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptive Immunity
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chemokines / metabolism
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism
  • Dendritic Cells / virology*
  • Glycoproteins / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
  • Inflammation Mediators / physiology*
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Metapneumovirus / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Monocytes / immunology
  • Monocytes / metabolism
  • Monocytes / virology
  • Signal Transduction / immunology*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / deficiency
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / physiology*
  • Viral Proteins / physiology*

Substances

  • Chemokines
  • Cytokines
  • G glycoprotein, human metapneumovirus
  • Glycoproteins
  • Inflammation Mediators
  • TLR4 protein, human
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4
  • Viral Proteins