Apoptosis Induction by Pseudorabies Virus via Oxidative Stress and Subsequent DNA Damage Signaling.

Background: Pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection induces apoptosis in swine cells both in vitro and in vivo; however, the mechanism associated with host-cell signaling has not been studied. This study investigated the role of free radicals caused by cellular oxidative stress after viral infection and examined whether the DNA damage response plays an important role in PRV-induced apoptosis.

Methods: Several apoptosis assays and western blotting confirmed PRV-induced apoptosis. PRV-mediated oxidative stress was evaluated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay.

Results: Our results showed that PRV caused apoptosis in a porcine kidney cell line, PK15, and induced expressions of proapoptotic Bcl family proteins in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Expressions of specific DNA damage sensors and phosphorylation of histone H2AX were also significantly increased, which subsequently activated the expressions of checkpoint kinase 1/2 and proapoptotic p53. Caffeine, a known DNA damage inhibitor, was found to inhibit caspase-3 activation and protect cells from PRV-induced apoptosis. Additionally, the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine was shown to prevent the production of cellular ROS, protecting DNA from cleavage.

Conclusions: Our results confirmed that oxidative stress and free radicals arising from PRV infection cause DNA damage, which consequently triggers apoptosis.