Microvesicles: ubiquitous contributors to infection and immunity.

MVs, which can be subgrouped into exosomes, SVs, and OMVs, are secreted by eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Many previously inexplicable phenomena can be explained by the existence of these vesicles, as they appear to be important in a wide range of biologic processes, such as intercellular communication and transfer of functional genetic information. In this review, we discuss the immunologic roles of MVs during sterile insult and infectious disease.

Human coronavirus OC43 nucleocapsid protein binds microRNA 9 and potentiates NF-κB activation.

The human coronavirus OC43 is a major contributor to the common cold worldwide, though due to its low mortality rate, little research has focused on this human pathogen. The nucleocapsid is an essential structural protein with conserved functions across the coronavirus family. While a multitude of studies have examined nucleocapsid function, none have described the effects of OC43 nucleocapsid on the transcription factor NF-κB.

Modulation of type I interferon induction by porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and degradation of CREB-binding protein by non-structural protein 1 in MARC-145 and HeLa cells.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is an emerged disease of swine characterized by negligible response of type I IFNs and viral persistence. We show that the PRRSV non-structural protein 1 (Nsp1) is the viral component responsible for modulation of IFN response. Nsp1 blocked dsRNA-induced IRF3 and IFN promoter activities.

A high-throughput pharmacoviral approach identifies novel oncolytic virus sensitizers.

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are promising anticancer agents but like other cancer monotherapies, the genetic heterogeneity of human malignancies can lead to treatment resistance. We used a virus/cell-based assay to screen diverse chemical libraries to identify small molecules that could act in synergy with OVs to destroy tumor cells that resist viral infection. Several molecules were identified that aid in viral oncolysis, enhancing virus replication and spread as much as 1,000-fold in tumor cells.

Using G-deleted vesicular stomatitis virus to probe the innate anti-viral response.

A method is described for the use of a G-deleted, conditionally replicating version of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) to measure alterations to the innate anti-viral state of cells in vitro. By co-transfecting a gene of interest with an expression vector for VSV-G one can directly measure the replication of the virus in the transfected cells as non-transfected cells will fail to produce infectious progeny due to the lack of glycoprotein in these non-transfected cells. This allows the investigator to focus exclusively on the anti-viral state induced or inhibited in the transfected cells allowing for screening and quantitative analysis of viral or cellular genes that may modify the anti-viral state.