Dataset Information

Viral-Induced Alternative Splicing of Host Genes Promotes Influenza Replication

ABSTRACT: Competition and interplay between host and viral gene expression programs is a critical determinant of infection susceptibility and a potential target for anti-viral therapies. Viral infection is well documented to induce the expression of numerous host genes that are part of the innate immune response. Here we show that infection of human lung epithelial cells with Influenza A virus (IAV) also induces a broad program of alternative splicing of host genes. While these splicing-regulated genes are not enriched for known regulators of viral infection, we find that many of these genes do modulate the infection and/or replication of IAV in an siRNA screen. Moreover, inhibition of the IAV-induced splicing pattern in several genes tested also reduces viral infection. We further show that approximately a quarter of the IAV-induced splicing events are regulated by hnRNP K, a host protein we have previously implicated in the nuclear speckle-dependent splicing of the IAV M transcript. Notably, hnRNP K abundance at nuclear speckles is increased upon IAV infection. We propose that this change in subnuclear localization may alter the accessibility of hnRNP K for host transcripts, thereby leading to a program of host splicing changes that promote IAV replication.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE142499 | GEO | 2020/12/10

REPOSITORIES: GEO

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:Influenza A virus (IAV) infection causes acute respiratory disease with potential severe and deadly complications. Viral pathogenesis is not only due to the direct cytopathic effect of viral infections but also to the exacerbated host inflammatory responses. Influenza viral infection can activate various host signaling pathways that function to activate or inhibit viral replication. Our previous studies have shown that a receptor tyrosine kinase TrkA plays an important role in the replication of influenza viruses in vitro, but its biological roles and functional mechanisms in influenza viral infection have not been characterized. Here we show that IAV infection strongly activates TrkA in vitro and in vivo. Using a chemical-genetic approach to specifically control TrkA kinase activity through a small molecule compound 1NMPP1 in a TrkA knock-in (TrkA KI) mouse model, we show that 1NMPP1-mediated TrkA inhibition completely protected mice from a lethal IAV infection by significantly reducing viral loads and lung inflammation. Using primary lung cells isolated from the TrkA KI mice, we show that specific TrkA inhibition reduced viral RNA synthesis in airway epithelial cells (AECs) but not in alveolar macrophages (AMs). Transcriptomic analysis confirmed the cell-type-specific role of TrkA in viral RNA synthesis, and identified distinct gene expression patterns under the TrkA regulation in IAV-infected AECs and AMs. Among the TrkA-activated targets are various proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines such as IL6, IL-1, IFNs, CCL-5, and CXCL9, supporting the role of TrkA in mediating lung inflammation. Indeed, TrkA inhibitor 1NMPP1 administered after the peak of IAV replication, though had no effect on viral load, was able to decrease lung inflammation and provide partial protection in mice. Taken together, our results have demonstrated for the first time an important biological role of TrkA signaling in IAV infection, identified its cell-type-specific contribution to viral replication, and revealed its functional mechanism in virus-induced lung inflammation. This study suggests TrkA as a novel host target for therapeutics against influenza viral disease.

Dataset Information

Viral-Induced Alternative Splicing of Host Genes Promotes Influenza Replication

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure