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Bunyamwera bunyavirus nonstructural protein NSs is a nonessential gene product that contributes to viral pathogenesis.

Bunyamwera virus (family Bunyaviridae, genus Bunyavirus) contains a tripartite negative-sense RNA genome. The smallest RNA segment, S, encodes the nucleocapsid protein N and a nonstructural protein, NSs, in overlapping reading frames. We have generated a mutant virus lacking NSs, called BUNdelNSs, by reverse genetics. Compared with the wild-type (wt) virus, BUNdelNSs exhibited a smaller plaque size and generated titers of virus approximately 1 log lower. In mammalian cells, the mutant expressed greatly increased levels of N protein; significantly, the marked inhibition of host cell protein synthesis shown by wt virus was considerably impaired by BUNdelNSs. When inoculated by the intracerebral route BUNdelNSs killed BALB/c mice with a slower time course than wt and exhibited a reduced cell-to-cell spread, and titers of virus in the brain were lower. In addition, the abrogation of NSs expression changed Bunyamwera virus from a noninducer to an inducer of an interferon-beta promoter. These results suggest that, although not essential for growth in tissue culture or in mice, the bunyavirus NSs protein has several functions in the virus life cycle and contributes to viral pathogenesis.

Aedes

NAP1 switches from an activator to a limiter of interferon induction by trapping TBK1 in condensates.

TBK1 kinase is a central regulator of type I IFN production. Upon activation of the IFN-β induction pathway, TBK1-adaptor proteins (NAP1, SINTBAD, TANK) form liquid condensates. We show that NAP1 condensates concentrate TBK1. Using NAP1KO cell lines, we demonstrate that NAP1 exerts a dual effect on TBK1 activity. Initially, NAP1 binds TBK1 and increases its activity, promoting IFN pathway activation. Subsequently, TBK1-mediated phosphorylation of NAP1 induces the formation of condensates. These NAP1 condensates concentrate both TBK1 and the phosphatase PP2A, which dephosphorylates and consequently deactivates TBK1, thus limiting IFN induction. Additionally, in patients with lupus or interferonopathies, we identify NAP1 variants unable to form condensates upon danger signal exposure, which sustain TBK1 activation without limiting its activity. This study reveals a mode of regulating a signaling pathway through condensate formation and provides a potential molecular explanation for immune dysregulation associated with NAP1 variants in certain patients with interferonopathies.

Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases

Bunyamwera bunyavirus nonstructural protein NSs counteracts the induction of alpha/beta interferon.

Production of alpha/beta interferons (IFN-alpha/beta) in response to viral infection is one of the main defense mechanisms of the innate immune system. Many viruses therefore encode factors that subvert the IFN system to enhance their virulence. Bunyamwera virus (BUN) is the prototype of the Bunyaviridae family. By using reverse genetics, we previously produced a recombinant virus lacking the nonstructural protein NSs (BUNdelNSs) and showed that NSs is a nonessential gene product that contributes to viral pathogenesis. Here we demonstrate that BUNdelNSs is a strong inducer of IFN-alpha/beta, whereas in cells infected with the wild-type counterpart expressing NSs (wild-type BUN), neither IFN nor IFN mRNA could be detected. IFN induction by BUNdelNSs correlated with activation of NF-kappaB and was dependent on virally produced double-stranded RNA and on the IFN transcription factor IRF-3. Furthermore, both in cultured cells and in mice lacking a functional IFN-alpha/beta system, BUNdelNSs replicated to wild-type BUN levels, whereas in IFN-competent systems, wild-type BUN grew more efficiently. These results suggest that BUN NSs is an IFN induction antagonist that blocks the transcriptional activation of IFN-alpha/beta in order to increase the virulence of Bunyamwera virus.

Animals

NAT10 is critical to block RNA sensing-induced IFN-β transactivation in viral infection.

UNLABELLED: Cells detect invading viruses and produce type I interferons (IFNs) to stimulate an innate antiviral effector response. However, IFN levels must be fine-tuned to achieve antiviral efficacy while limiting hyperinflammatory and tissue-damaging effects. Here, we report that NAT10, a histone and cytidine acetyltransferase, regulates the production of type I IFNs and RNA virus infections. Depletion of NAT10 increased the expression of IFN-β and IFN-stimulated genes, and correspondingly impaired viral replication. Mechanistically, NAT10 dynamically associated with the IFN-β promoter and also negatively regulated IRF3's chromatin associations through modulation of long noncoding RNAs that inhibit IRF3. Treatment of cells with Remodelin, a NAT10 inhibitor, similarly increased IFN-β expression and inhibited viral infections. Overall, our findings reveal NAT10 is a potential host-directed target for antiviral treatment via regulation of type I IFN. IMPORTANCE: Type I interferons (IFNs) signaling pathway is critical to cellular defense and innate immunity against evading pathogens, including viruses. However, induction of type I IFNs is fine-tuned to achieve the antiviral consequence while maintaining host cellular homeostasis. This paper presents a novel mechanism for the NAT10 protein to silence IFN-β induction through modulation of IRF3 activity at the promoter of IFN-β, and further demonstrates the therapeutic potential of the NAT10 inhibitor Remodelin to restrict viral infection while inducing IFN-β.

Interferon-beta

A stromal platform for robust expansion of functional IL-10-producing B cells for immune regulation.

IL-10-producing B cells exert immunosuppressive effects, yet their low abundance and poor in vitro viability have limited their therapeutic application. Here, we developed a stromal coculture system using MS5 cells engineered to express human CD40L, BAFF, and IFN-β1 (MS5-3F, for "3 factors"), which enables robust induction and greater than 1000-fold expansion of human IL-10-producing B cells. The expanded cells showed phenotypic and transcriptional profiles characteristic of unswitched (IgM+) plasmablasts and potently suppressed CD4+ T cell proliferation in an IL-10-dependent manner. MS5-3F-expanded B cells also increased the frequency of regulatory T cells in vitro, an effect that was not abrogated by IL-10/IL-10R blockade, suggesting contributions from additional mechanisms. IL-10 production originated predominantly from naive B cells, rather than memory B cells. Furthermore, B cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, despite impaired IL-10 production under conventional conditions, were efficiently differentiated into IL-10-producing B cells using this system. The expanded cells showed minimal IgG-secreting output. Our platform offers a scalable strategy for generating human regulatory B cells, laying the foundation for B cell-based immunotherapies.

Humans

Relative Quantitative Analysis of Site-Specific N-Linked Glycosylation in Hyperglycosylated Interferon-β via Mass Spectrometry.

Glycosylation is a critical determinant of the efficacy, stability, and pharmacological behavior of therapeutic proteins. R27T, an engineered variant of interferon-β1a, contains two N-glycosylation sites (Asn25 and Asn80), increasing its structural complexity and analytical requirements. In this study, we performed comprehensive total and site-specific glycan profiling of R27T using complementary analytical approaches. For total glycan analysis, the released N-glycans were fluorescently labeled with procainamide, providing enhanced sensitivity and broader glycan coverage compared with conventional 2-aminobenzamide labeling. Site-specific glycan profiling was performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based peptide mapping. Protease digestion conditions were optimized to improve recovery of site-specific glycopeptides, with chymotrypsin identified as the most effective enzyme for resolving glycopeptides from individual glycosylation sites. Total glycan distributions reconstructed from peptide-mapping data were compared with fluorescence-based glycan profiling, showing that total and site-specific glycan data can be effectively combined. Minor discrepancies were observed depending on glycan structure, mainly due to differences in ionization efficiency. Distinct glycan distributions were observed between the two N-glycosylation sites of R27T. Molecular modeling further suggested that the additional glycan at Asn25 may enhance structural stability and receptor-binding affinity. These results demonstrate an integrative strategy for accurate glycan characterization in multi-site glycoproteins relevant to biotherapeutic development.

Glycosylation