This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Thompson, R. L.
Right arrow Articles by Sawtell, N. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Thompson, R. L.
Right arrow Articles by Sawtell, N. M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Virology, July 2001, p. 6660-6675, Vol. 75, No. 14
0022-538X/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/JVI.75.14.6660-6675.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Latency-Associated Transcript Gene Promotes Neuronal Survival

R. L. Thompson1,* and N. M. Sawtell2,*

Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0524,1 and Division of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-30392

Received 15 November 2000/Accepted 27 April 2001

A complex interaction has evolved between the host's peripheral nervous system (PNS) and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Sensory neurons are permissive for viral replication, yet the virus can also enter a latent state in these cells. The interplay of viral and neuronal signals that regulate the switch between the viral lytic and latent states is not understood. The latency-associated transcript (LAT) regulates the establishment of the latent state and is required for >65% of the latent infections established by HSV-1 (R. L. Thompson and N. M. Sawtell, J. Virol. 71:5432-5440, 1997). To further investigate how LAT functions, a 1.9-kb deletion that includes the entire LAT promoter and 827 bp of the 5' end of the primary LAT mRNA was introduced into strain 17syn+. The wild-type parent, three independently derived deletion mutants, and two independently derived genomically rescued variants of the mutants were analyzed in a mouse ocular model. The number of latent sites established in trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons was determined using a single-cell quantitative PCR assay for the viral genome on purified TG neurons. It was found that the LAT null mutants established ~75% fewer latent infections than the number established by the parental strain or rescued variant. The reduced establishment phenotype of LAT null mutants was due at least in part to a dramatic increase in the loss of TG neurons in animals infected with the LAT mutants. Over half of the neurons in the TG were destroyed following infection with the LAT mutants, and this was significantly more than were lost following infection with wild type. This is the first demonstration that the HSV LAT locus prevents the destruction of sensory neurons. The death of these neurons did not appear to be the result of increased apoptosis as measured by a terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay. Animals latently infected with the LAT null mutants reactivated less frequently in vivo and this was consistent with the reduction in the number of neurons in which latency was established. Thus, one function of the LAT gene is to protect sensory neurons and enhance the establishment of latency in the PNS.


* Corresponding author. Mailing address for Richard Thompson: Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0524. Phone: (513) 558-0063. Fax: (513) 558-8474. E-mail: Richard.Thompson{at}UC.EDU.


Journal of Virology, July 2001, p. 6660-6675, Vol. 75, No. 14
0022-538X/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/JVI.75.14.6660-6675.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Imai, Y., Apakupakul, K., Krause, P. R., Halford, W. P., Margolis, T. P. (2009). Investigation of the Mechanism by Which Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 LAT Sequences Modulate Preferential Establishment of Latent Infection in Mouse Trigeminal Ganglia. J. Virol. 83: 7873-7882 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Tang, S., Patel, A., Krause, P. R. (2009). Novel Less-Abundant Viral MicroRNAs Encoded by Herpes Simplex Virus 2 Latency-Associated Transcript and Their Roles in Regulating ICP34.5 and ICP0 mRNAs. J. Virol. 83: 1433-1442 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Brittle, E. E., Wang, F., Lubinski, J. M., Bunte, R. M., Friedman, H. M. (2008). A Replication-Competent, Neuronal Spread-Defective, Live Attenuated Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Vaccine. J. Virol. 82: 8431-8441 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Tang, S., Bertke, A. S., Patel, A., Wang, K., Cohen, J. I., Krause, P. R. (2008). An acutely and latently expressed herpes simplex virus 2 viral microRNA inhibits expression of ICP34.5, a viral neurovirulence factor. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105: 10931-10936 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Neumann, D. M., Bhattacharjee, P. S., Giordani, N. V., Bloom, D. C., Hill, J. M. (2007). In Vivo Changes in the Patterns of Chromatin Structure Associated with the Latent Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Genome in Mouse Trigeminal Ganglia Can Be Detected at Early Times after Butyrate Treatment. J. Virol. 81: 13248-13253 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Terry-Allison, T., Smith, C. A., DeLuca, N. A. (2007). Relaxed Repression of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Genomes in Murine Trigeminal Neurons. J. Virol. 81: 12394-12405 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Neumann, D. M., Bhattacharjee, P. S., Hill, J. M. (2007). Sodium Butyrate: a Chemical Inducer of In Vivo Reactivation of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 in the Ocular Mouse Model. J. Virol. 81: 6106-6110 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Geenen, K., Nauwynck, H. J., De Regge, N., Braeckmans, K., Favoreel, H. W. (2007). Brn-3a suppresses pseudorabies virus-induced cell death in sensory neurons. J. Gen. Virol. 88: 743-747 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Thompson, R. L., Sawtell, N. M. (2006). Evidence that the Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 ICP0 Protein Does Not Initiate Reactivation from Latency In Vivo. J. Virol. 80: 10919-10930 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Maillet, S., Naas, T., Crepin, S., Roque-Afonso, A.-M., Lafay, F., Efstathiou, S., Labetoulle, M. (2006). Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Latently Infected Neurons Differentially Express Latency-Associated and ICP0 Transcripts. J. Virol. 80: 9310-9321 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Miller, C. S., Danaher, R. J., Jacob, R. J. (2006). ICP0 Is Not Required for Efficient Stress-Induced Reactivation of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 from Cultured Quiescently Infected Neuronal Cells. J. Virol. 80: 3360-3368 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sawtell, N. M., Thompson, R. L., Haas, R. L. (2006). Herpes Simplex Virus DNA Synthesis Is Not a Decisive Regulatory Event in the Initiation of Lytic Viral Protein Expression in Neurons In Vivo during Primary Infection or Reactivation from Latency. J. Virol. 80: 38-50 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wang, Q.-Y., Zhou, C., Johnson, K. E., Colgrove, R. C., Coen, D. M., Knipe, D. M. (2005). Herpesviral latency-associated transcript gene promotes assembly of heterochromatin on viral lytic-gene promoters in latent infection. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102: 16055-16059 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Jin, L., Perng, G.-C., Mott, K. R., Osorio, N., Naito, J., Brick, D. J., Carpenter, D., Jones, C., Wechsler, S. L. (2005). A Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Mutant Expressing a Baculovirus Inhibitor of Apoptosis Gene in Place of Latency-Associated Transcript Has a Wild-Type Reactivation Phenotype in the Mouse. J. Virol. 79: 12286-12295 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Branco, F. J., Fraser, N. W. (2005). Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Latency-Associated Transcript Expression Protects Trigeminal Ganglion Neurons from Apoptosis. J. Virol. 79: 9019-9025 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kulesza, C. A., Shenk, T. (2004). Human Cytomegalovirus 5-Kilobase Immediate-Early RNA Is a Stable Intron. J. Virol. 78: 13182-13189 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ng, A. K., Block, T. M., Aiamkitsumrit, B., Wang, M., Clementi, E., Wu, T.-T., Taylor, J. M., Su, Y.-H. (2004). Construction of a Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Mutant with Only a Three-Nucleotide Change in the Branchpoint Region of the Latency-Associated Transcript (LAT) and the Stability of Its Two-Kilobase LAT Intron. J. Virol. 78: 12097-12106 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kubat, N. J., Amelio, A. L., Giordani, N. V., Bloom, D. C. (2004). The Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Latency-Associated Transcript (LAT) Enhancer/rcr Is Hyperacetylated during Latency Independently of LAT Transcription. J. Virol. 78: 12508-12518 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sawtell, N. M., Thompson, R. L. (2004). Comparison of Herpes Simplex Virus Reactivation in Ganglia In Vivo and in Explants Demonstrates Quantitative and Qualitative Differences. J. Virol. 78: 7784-7794 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • O'Neil, J. E., Loutsch, J. M., Aguilar, J. S., Hill, J. M., Wagner, E. K., Bloom, D. C. (2004). Wide Variations in Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Inoculum Dose and Latency-Associated Transcript Expression Phenotype Do Not Alter the Establishment of Latency in the Rabbit Eye Model. J. Virol. 78: 5038-5044 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Mador, N., Braun, E., Haim, H., Ariel, I., Panet, A., Steiner, I. (2003). Transgenic Mouse with the Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Latency-Associated Gene: Expression and Function of the Transgene. J. Virol. 77: 12421-12429 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hood, C., Cunningham, A. L., Slobedman, B., Boadle, R. A., Abendroth, A. (2003). Varicella-Zoster Virus-Infected Human Sensory Neurons Are Resistant to Apoptosis, yet Human Foreskin Fibroblasts Are Susceptible: Evidence for a Cell-Type-Specific Apoptotic Response. J. Virol. 77: 12852-12864 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Thompson, R. L., Shieh, M. T., Sawtell, N. M. (2003). Analysis of Herpes Simplex Virus ICP0 Promoter Function in Sensory Neurons during Acute Infection, Establishment of Latency, and Reactivation In Vivo. J. Virol. 77: 12319-12330 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Mott, K. R., Osorio, N., Jin, L., Brick, D. J., Naito, J., Cooper, J., Henderson, G., Inman, M., Jones, C., Wechsler, S. L., Perng, G.-C. (2003). The bovine herpesvirus-1 LR ORF2 is critical for this gene's ability to restore the high wild-type reactivation phenotype to a herpes simplex virus-1 LAT null mutant. J. Gen. Virol. 84: 2975-2985 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Taharaguchi, S., Yoshino, S., Amagai, K., Ono, E. (2003). The latency-associated transcript promoter of pseudorabies virus directs neuron-specific expression in trigeminal ganglia of transgenic mice. J. Gen. Virol. 84: 2015-2022 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Burton, E. A., Hong, C.-S., Glorioso, J. C. (2003). The Stable 2.0-Kilobase Intron of the Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Latency-Associated Transcript Does Not Function as an Antisense Repressor of ICP0 in Nonneuronal Cells. J. Virol. 77: 3516-3530 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Jones, C. (2003). Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and Bovine Herpesvirus 1 Latency. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 16: 79-95 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Geiser, V., Inman, M., Zhang, Y., Jones, C. (2002). The latency-related gene of bovine herpesvirus-1 can inhibit the ability of bICP0 to activate productive infection. J. Gen. Virol. 83: 2965-2971 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Delhon, G. A., Gonzalez, M. J., Murcia, P. R. (2002). Susceptibility of sensory neurons to apoptosis following infection by bovine herpesvirus type 1. J. Gen. Virol. 83: 2257-2267 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Thomas, S. K., Lilley, C. E., Latchman, D. S., Coffin, R. S. (2002). A Protein Encoded by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Type 1 2-Kilobase Latency-Associated Transcript Is Phosphorylated, Localized to the Nucleus, and Overcomes the Repression of Expression from Exogenous Promoters When Inserted into the Quiescent HSV Genome. J. Virol. 76: 4056-4067 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Thackray, A. M., Bujdoso, R. (2002). PrPc Expression Influences the Establishment of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Latency. J. Virol. 76: 2498-2509 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Perng, G.-C., Maguen, B., Jin, L., Mott, K. R., Osorio, N., Slanina, S. M., Yukht, A., Ghiasi, H., Nesburn, A. B., Inman, M., Henderson, G., Jones, C., Wechsler, S. L. (2002). A Gene Capable of Blocking Apoptosis Can Substitute for the Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Latency-Associated Transcript Gene and Restore Wild-Type Reactivation Levels. J. Virol. 76: 1224-1235 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ahmed, M., Lock, M., Miller, C. G., Fraser, N. W. (2002). Regions of the Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Latency-Associated Transcript That Protect Cells from Apoptosis In Vitro and Protect Neuronal Cells In Vivo. J. Virol. 76: 717-729 [Abstract] [Full Text]