Autophagy and unfolded protein response induction: a crosstalk between street rabies virus and the host

Abstract

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) response mechanism to cellular stress is mediated by the unfolded protein response/ER-associated degradation (UPR/ERAD) pathway. A viral infection can trigger ER stress and engage some transcription factors, depending on the host cell and virus type, activating or inhibiting autophagy. The relationship between ER response and autophagy in rabies has not been investigated yet. In the present study, the mouse brain was infected with street rabies virus (SRABV). Total RNA was extracted from the brains of animals, and cDNA was synthesized. Next, real-time PCR assay was performed using specific primers. The expression of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (Hprt), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP), apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), and caspase 3 (CASP3) genes was also investigated. Based on the results, SRABV caused significant changes in the mRNA expression of ATF6, CHOP, and ASK1 genes in the brains of infected mice in the control group (group V). Treatment of infected cells with the pIRES-EGFP-Beclin-1 vector and rapamycin caused changes in nearly most of the parameters. However, alterations in CASP3 gene expression were only observed when the vector and the virus were simultaneously injected into the cells. Overall, protection and autophagy against cell death induced by SRABV infection can be achieved by activating the ER stress pathway, followed by a marked increase in the expression of ATF6, CHOP, ASK1, and CASP3 genes.

Keywords: Autophagy; Host cell; Street rabies virus; Transcription factors; Unfolded protein response.