XBP1-Mediated BiP/GRP78 Upregulation Copes with Oxidative Stress in Mosquito Cells during Dengue 2 Virus Infection

Biomed Res Int. 2017:2017:3519158. doi: 10.1155/2017/3519158. Epub 2017 Oct 1.

Abstract

Dengue viruses (DENVs) cause dengue fever which is an important mosquito-borne disease in tropical areas. Generally, DENV does not cause cellular damage in mosquito cells. However, alterations in cytosolic calcium ions ([Ca2+]cyt) and the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), as well as accumulated reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide anions (O2∙-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), can be detected in C6/36 cells with DENV2 infection. Evident upregulation of BiP/GRP78 also appeared at 24 h postinfection in DENV2-infected C6/36 cells. As expression of BiP/GRP78 mRNA was reduced when the transcription factor X-box-binding protein-1 (XBP1) was knocked down in C6/36 cells, it demonstrated that BiP/GRP78 is the target gene regulated by the XBP1 signal pathway. We further demonstrated that the expression and splicing activity of XBP1 were upregulated in parallel with DENV2 infection in C6/36 cells. In C6/36 cells with BiP/GRP78 overexpression, oxidative stress indicators including [Ca2+]cyt, MMP, O2∙-, and H2O2 were all pushed back to normal. Taken together, DENV2 activates XBP1 at earlier stage of infection, followed by upregulating BiP/GRP78 in mosquito cells. This regulatory pathway contributes a cascade in relation to oxidative stress alleviation. The finding provides insights into elucidating how mosquitoes can healthily serve as a vector of arboviruses in nature.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Culicidae / genetics
  • Culicidae / virology
  • Dengue / genetics*
  • Dengue / transmission
  • Dengue / virology
  • Dengue Virus / genetics*
  • Dengue Virus / pathogenicity
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP
  • Gene Expression Regulation / genetics
  • Heat-Shock Proteins / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / metabolism
  • Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / genetics
  • Oxidative Stress / genetics
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Superoxides / metabolism
  • X-Box Binding Protein 1 / genetics*

Substances

  • Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP
  • HSPA5 protein, human
  • Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • X-Box Binding Protein 1
  • Superoxides
  • Hydrogen Peroxide