HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shafee, N. Articles by AbuBakar, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Shafee, N. Articles by AbuBakar, S. Agricola Articles by Shafee, N. Articles by AbuBakar, S.

Dengue virus type 2 NS3 protease and NS2B-NS3 protease precursor induce apoptosis

Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia

Correspondence
Sazaly AbuBakar
sazaly{at}um.edu.my

Apoptosis was detected in Vero cell cultures expressing transfected dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) genes. Approximately 17·5 and 51·5 % of cells expressing NS3 serine protease and NS2B-NS3₁₈₅ serine protease precursor protein [NS2B-NS3₁₈₅(pro)] genes, respectively, were apoptotic. The percentage of apoptotic cells was significantly higher in cell cultures expressing NS2B-NS3₁₈₅(pro). NS2B-NS3₁₈₅(pro) was detected as NS2B-NS3₁₈₅(pro)-EGFP fusion protein in cytoplasmic vesicular structures in the apoptotic cells. Site-directed mutagenesis which replaced His⁵¹ with Ala within the protease catalytic triad significantly reduced the ability of the expressed NS3 and NS2B-NS3₁₈₅(pro) to induce apoptosis. Results from the present study showed that DENV-2-encoded NS3 serine protease induces apoptosis, which is enhanced in cells expressing its precursor, NS2B-NS3₁₈₅(pro). These findings suggest the importance of NS2B as a cofactor to NS3 protease-induced apoptosis.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. G. Brown, Y. Y. Huang, J. S. Marshall, C. A. King, D. W. Hoskin, and R. Anderson Dramatic caspase-dependent apoptosis in antibody-enhanced dengue virus infection of human mast cells J. Leukoc. Biol., January 1, 2009; 85(1): 71 - 80. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C.-H. Tsao, H.-L. Su, Y.-L. Lin, H.-P. Yu, S.-M. Kuo, C.-I Shen, C.-W. Chen, and C.-L. Liao Japanese encephalitis virus infection activates caspase-8 and -9 in a FADD-independent and mitochondrion-dependent manner J. Gen. Virol., August 1, 2008; 89(8): 1930 - 1941. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Samuel, J. D. Morrey, and M. S. Diamond Caspase 3-Dependent Cell Death of Neurons Contributes to the Pathogenesis of West Nile Virus Encephalitis J. Virol., March 15, 2007; 81(6): 2614 - 2623. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]