J Gen Virol Try IJSEM Online
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
 QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     


J Gen Virol 87 (2006), 2539-2548; DOI 10.1099/vir.0.81915-0

This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Abdel-Latif, L.
Right arrow Articles by Johnson, F. B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Abdel-Latif, L.
Right arrow Articles by Johnson, F. B.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Abdel-Latif, L.
Right arrow Articles by Johnson, F. B.
© 2006 Society for General Microbiology

Cell death in bovine parvovirus-infected embryonic bovine tracheal cells is mediated by necrosis rather than apoptosis

Lubna Abdel-Latif, Byron K. Murray, Rebecca L. Renberg, Kim L. O'Neill, Heidi Porter, James B. Jensen and F. Brent Johnson

Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, 887 WIDB, Provo, UT 84602, USA

Correspondence
F. Brent Johnson
brent_johnson{at}byu.edu


   ABSTRACT
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES
 
The helper-independent bovine parvovirus (BPV) was studied to determine its effect on host embryonic bovine tracheal (EBTr) cells: whether the ultimate outcome of infection results in apoptotic cell death or cell death by necrosis. Infected cells were observed for changes marking apoptosis. Observations of alterations in nuclear morphology, membrane changes, apoptotic body formation, membrane phosphatidylserine inversions, caspase activation and cell DNA laddering in infected cells were not indicative of apoptosis. On the other hand, at the end of the virus replication cycle, infected cells released viral haemagglutinin and infectious virus particles, as would be expected from cell membrane failure. Moreover, the infected cells released lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), release of which is a marker of necrosis. LDH release into the cell medium correlated directly with viral m.o.i. and time post-infection. Furthermore, assessment of mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity was consistent with cell death by necrosis. Taken together, these findings indicate that cell death in BPV-infected EBTr cells is due to necrosis, as defined by infected-cell membrane failure and release of the cell contents into the extracellular environment.


   INTRODUCTION
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES
 
Parvoviruses are known to induce an apoptotic response in some cell models, whilst in others they cause cytolysis/necrosis. To date there have been no reports of apoptotic cell death versus necrosis in bovine parvovirus (BPV)-infected cells. Parvoviruses are small, non-enveloped, icosahedral viruses containing linear, single-stranded DNA genomes of about 5 kb composed of two or three open reading frames (ORFs). The mammalian parvoviruses (subfamily Parvovirinae in the family Parvoviridae) are divided into five genera largely on the basis of genome structural organization and helper virus requirement (Fauquet et al., 2005Down). The autonomous parvoviruses, which include the genera Parvovirus, Erythrovirus, Amdovirus and Bocavirus, do not require a helper virus, but they require S phase for productive infection (Johnson, 1983Down; Lederman et al., 1983Down). BPV is classified in the genus Bocavirus (Fauquet et al., 2005Down). It is an interesting and unique model among the helper-independent parvoviruses because its capsid is composed of three structural proteins and it has a mid-ORF encoding a phosphorylated non-structural protein. Recently, a new human bocavirus was detected by PCR in nasopharyngeal specimens collected from children with lower respiratory tract infections (Ma et al., 2006Down).

During virus–substrate interactions, free BPV particles attach to sialic acid to mediate the haemagglutination (HA) reaction (Thacker & Johnson, 1998Down) and to bind to bovine cells in culture (Johnson et al., 2004Down). The erythrocyte receptor is the O-linked {alpha}2,3-neuraminic acid on glycophorin A (Blackburn et al., 2005Down). The three known functional ORFs in the BPV genome encode the non-structural protein NS1 (large left ORF), the non-structural nuclear phosphoprotein NP1 (small mid-ORF) and the three structural proteins (Johnson & Hoggan, 1973Down), VP1, VP2 and VP3 (large right ORF) (Chen et al., 1986Down). After protein synthesis, viral proteins are translocated to the nucleus, where the assembly process is completed. Egress of the virus is presumably by degradation of the cell (Durham & Johnson, 1985Down) and rupture of the nuclear membrane (Johnson, 1983Down), but it has previously been unclear whether cell degradation followed apoptosis or necrosis.

Viruses are known to kill infected cells by inducing apoptosis or necrosis or other types of cell death. Currently, many subtleties of cell death pathways are under investigation and separate pathways are being recognized and given separate designations. The current study, however, was an initial investigation of BPV-induced cell death that included some of the standard markers for apoptosis and necrosis. Apoptosis is an active process of cell death that is tightly controlled. It is ‘programmed cell death’, an orderly series of biochemical events resulting in the purposeful removal of useless, unwanted or damaged cells. Cells undergoing apoptosis show characteristic morphological and biochemical changes, such as the appearance of membrane blebbing, inversions of phosphatidylserine molecules so that they become oriented on the outer surface of the plasma membrane, the appearance of caspases and the presence of a nucleosomal ladder due to non-random DNA fragmentation by caspase-activated DNase and other DNases (Hengartner, 2000Down; Yuan & Horvitz, 2004Down). Many viruses encode gene products that induce apoptosis, which may contribute directly to their cytopathogenic effects (Gaddy & Lyles, 2005Down; Kopecky et al., 2001Down; Selliah & Finkel, 2001Down; Shen & Shenk, 1995Down). On the other hand, there are viruses that inhibit apoptosis of the infected cells by the action of viral anti-apoptosis proteins (Koyama et al., 2000Down). These viruses prolong the life of the cell, presumably enhancing virus yield.

Necrosis, another form of cell death, involves a different manner of cell killing. Necrosis is called ‘accidental’ cell death, differentiating it from programmed death. It is the destructive, disorderly process that occurs when cells are exposed to serious physical or chemical insult or as a result of virus-induced cytolysis. Necrosis begins when the ability of the cell to maintain homeostasis is impaired, leading to an influx of water and extracellular electrolytes. Intracellular organelles, notably mitochondria, swell and the cell ruptures, liberating the cytoplasmic contents. The DNA is fragmented in a random fashion and appears as a smear on electrophoretic gels without the appearance of the DNA fragment laddering characteristic of apoptosis. Moreover, no caspase involvement has been shown in necrosis. Some viruses kill their host cells by inducing necrotic cell death. Detecting the release of cytoplasmic contents is one way of identifying cell necrosis.

Studies of how viruses induce death in cells have been reported for several members of the family Parvoviridae. Parvovirus H-1 causes cell death by a non-apoptotic process in permissive cells (Li et al., 2005Down; Raj et al., 2001Down) or by apoptosis in non-permissive cells (Ohshima et al., 1998Down), and has been studied as a possible agent for tumour therapy (Moehler et al., 2001Down, 2005Down). Rat parvovirus (RPV/UT) causes apoptotic cell death of thymic lymphoma cells (Ueno et al., 2001Down). Parvovirus B19 NS1 protein induces apoptosis in COS-7 cells (Hsu et al., 2004Down) and in erythroid lineage cells (Chisaka et al., 2002Down; Clark & Boyles, 1999Down; Moffatt et al., 1998Down; Yaegashi et al., 1999Down). Moreover, B19 caused apoptosis in hepatocytes (Poole et al., 2004Down). Furthermore, feline panleukopenia virus (FPLV) induces apoptosis in feline lymphoid cells (Ikeda et al., 1998Down) and apoptosis was detected in FPLV and canine parvovirus (CPV) enteritis in animals (Bauder et al., 2000Down). Aleutian mink disease virus (ADV) and mink enteritis virus induce apoptosis in permissive Crandell feline kidney cells (Best et al., 2002Down).

Here, we investigated whether BPV infection of embryonic bovine tracheal (EBTr) cells induced apoptotic cell death or necrotic cell death, the latter being characterized by membrane failure and the release of intracellular contents.


   METHODS
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES
 
Virus, cells and media.
The virus used in this study was the original BPV isolate obtained from F. R. Abinanti (Abinanti & Warfield, 1961Down). EBTr cells (ATCC NBL-4), a diploid cell strain, were grown in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) containing 0.11 % sodium bicarbonate, 10 mM HEPES, 50 µg gentamicin ml–1 and either 5 % cosmic calf serum (HyClone) or Fetal Clone III serum (HyClone). Cosmic calf serum contains anti-BPV antibody; therefore, in cultures where virus infection was measured, Fetal Clone III serum was used instead of cosmic calf serum.

4,6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining.
EBTr cells were cultured on round coverslips (12 mm) in shell vials in DMEM containing 5 % Fetal Clone III serum. Various sets of five shell vials each were prepared for DAPI staining including BPV-infected cells and positive and negative controls. Staurosporine at a concentration of 5 µM was used as the positive control and was incubated with cells at 37 °C for 4 h. In the virus-infected cell set, BPV was added to cells at an m.o.i. of 0.27 and incubated at 37 °C for 48 h to ensure that most of the cells were infected. Negative controls consisted of EBTr cells with no virus or other treatment. The cells were then placed on microscope slides in drops of mounting fluid containing DAPI [phosphate-buffered glycerol (pH 9) containing 0.2 mg p-phenylenediamine ml–1 and 0.5 µg DAPI ml–1). Cells were analysed by fluorescence microscopy for nuclear morphology changes. Apoptotic cells on each coverslip were counted blind by two people, as were cells in all subsequent experiments. Cells that were positive for apoptosis were defined morphologically by nuclear shrinkage, chromatin fragmentation and membrane blebbing.

Detection of apoptosis by annexin V–FITC staining.
Cells were cultured on coverslips as above. Various sets comprising five shell vial cultures were prepared for annexin V staining to show membrane-associated phosphatidylserine inversion in apoptotic cells. The sets included BPV-infected cells, a cycloheximide (10 µg ml–1) positive control, a staurosporine (5 µM) positive control and negative controls. A culture set was inoculated with BPV (m.o.i.=0.27) and incubated as described above. Negative controls consisted of uninfected and untreated EBTr cells grown in DMEM containing 5 % Fetal Clone III serum. The staining reagents were obtained as a kit from BioVision and the manufacturer's instructions were followed. Unfixed cells were stained by adding annexin V–FITC reaction mixture (10 µl annexin V–FITC, 5 µl propidium iodide) and incubating at room temperature for 10 min in the dark. Cells were then washed with PBS and distilled water, placed on microscope slides and inspected microscopically for apoptosis-positive cells under UV illumination. In apoptosis-positive cells that had bound annexin V–FITC, the plasma membrane stained green, whilst negative cells remained unstained.

CaspGLOW fluorescein caspase staining.
The various sets of infected and control cells were cultured on coverslips as described above for annexin V staining. The principle of CaspGLOW fluorescein caspase staining is the irreversible attachment of the FITC-labelled caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk to a number of activated caspases such as caspases 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, which can be seen as fluorescently labelled cells by fluorescence microscopy. Cells were labelled using the CaspGLOW reagent kit (BioVision) following the manufacturer's instructions. Following preparation of the culture sets, cells were stained by adding FITC–z-VAD-fmk reaction mixture (1 µl FITC-labelled z-VAD-fmk in 300 µl wash buffer) to each coverslip and incubating for 1 h at 37 °C. Cells were then examined by fluorescence microscopy. Caspase-positive cells stained bright green, whilst negative cells remained unstained.

DNA fragmentation as an indicator of apoptosis.
Four 75 cm2 flasks of cultured EBTr cells were grown to 70 % confluence. One culture served as a negative control, whilst another served as a positive control in which staurosporine (to 5 µM) was added. The cultures were incubated at 37 °C for 6 h. DMSO was added to the third culture as an additional negative control (the solvent control), whilst the culture in the fourth flask was infected with BPV (m.o.i. of 0.0066). The cultures were incubated until a complete cytopathic effect (CPE) was achieved in the infected culture. In this culture, most of the cells were freshly infected during the last replication cycle, providing reasonable comparison with the staurosporine control. The cells were then trypsinized and collected for DNA extraction. This process was carried out using the method of Herrmann et al. (1994)Down. DNA samples prepared in parallel from the four cultures were electrophoresed in 1.5 % agarose gel at 100 V for 3–4 h until the tracking dye (brilliant blue) had run a distance of two-thirds of the gel. Included in each replicate run was a 100 bp DNA ladder control consisting of 15 blunt-ended fragments of between 100 and 1500 bp and an additional fragment at 2072 bp (obtained from Invitrogen). Gels were stained with 1x SYBR Green (Molecular Probes) for 20 min. Apoptotic cells present a DNA ladder on agarose gels (Herrmann et al., 1994Down).

Testing of cultures for virus-induced cell necrosis.
Experiments were carried out to determine the release of cell cytoplasmic contents as an indicator of cytolysis by necrosis. The markers assessed were cell-released infectious virus, viral HA and the cellular enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). In these experiments, EBTr cells were grown in monolayers to 90 % confluence, washed with serum-free medium and renewed with 5 % Fetal Clone III serum/DMEM. BPV was inoculated into one culture at an m.o.i. of 0.006 and another culture served as an uninfected negative control. The cultures were incubated at 37 °C until complete CPE (4+) was achieved. During this incubation period, 1 ml samples were taken from the medium every 6 h, centrifuged in a microfuge to remove any unattached cells from the samples and supernatants were collected. Infectivity assays on the supernatants were performed in flat-sided tissue culture tubes (Nunc), as described previously (Johnson et al., 2004Down), to detect infectious virus particles released into the medium of the cultures. Following incubation, cells were fixed with formaldehyde/ethanol/acetic acid and stained with an immunoperoxidase (IP) stain to identify cells positive for viral antigen (Luker et al., 1991Down). The stained cells were counted and infectious virus titres determined and notated as focus-forming units (f.f.u.) ml–1.

HA assays.
HA tests were performed in 96-well U-bottomed plates. Samples were diluted 1 : 10, 1 : 100 and 1 : 1000 in HA buffer (0.005 % gelatin, 0.1 % BSA in PBS, pH 7.0; Thacker & Johnson, 1998Down). Fifty microlitres of each diluted sample was mixed with 50 µl 0.5 % human type O red blood cell suspension and the plate was incubated at 4 °C overnight. Negative results were scored as red cell button formation, whereas positive results were scored as agglutinated cell sheets. To obtain a final titre, twofold dilutions between the tenfold steps were tested as needed.

LDH assays.
Medium supernatants collected from infected and control cells in the experiments designed to test for the release of cell cytoplasmic contents were tested for LDH activity. The assay reagents were purchased in kit form [Cytotoxicity Detection kit (LDH); Roche Diagnostics]. This test is a colorimetric assay for the quantification of cell death and cell lysis based on the measurement of LDH activity released from the cytosol of damaged cells into the supernatant. The amount of enzyme activity detected in the culture supernatant correlates with the proportion of lysed cells. The assays were conducted following the manufacturer's instructions, in flat-bottomed wells of 96-well plates. One hundred microlitres of each sample was added to 100 µl reaction reagent (prepared as a mixture of 250 µl catalyst, diaphorase/NAD+, with 11.25 ml dye solution containing iodotetrazolium chloride and sodium lactate). These reaction mixtures were incubated for 30 min at 15–25 °C in the dark. Following incubation, the absorbance of samples was measured at a wavelength of 490 nm as a measure of enzyme activity using an ELISA plate reader. The LDH released from bovine cells was readily detected by this method.

Detection of cell proliferation and cell death by monitoring mitochondrial dehydrogenases using the WST-1 reagent.
Cells were grown in 24-well plates. Cells in some wells were infected with virus at various m.o.i., whilst other wells served as uninfected controls. Cell proliferation and viability were measured using the cell proliferation reagent WST-1 (Roche). This is a colorimetric assay for the quantification of cell proliferation and cell viability, based on cleavage of the tetrazolium salt WST-1 (4-[3-(4-iodophenyl)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)-2H-5-tetrazolio]-1,3-benzene disulfonate) to formazan by mitochondrial dehydrogenases in viable cells. Necrotic, dead cells do not catalyse this conversion. Viral CPE resulting in cell death can be detected by this method. At appropriate time intervals, 100 µl WST-1 (prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions) was added to the wells and incubated in the dark for 4 h at 36 °C for substrate conversion. Samples (200 µl) were removed from the wells, placed in flat-bottomed wells of a 96-well plate and the absorbance read on an ELISA plate reader at a wavelength of 450 nm. High absorbance readings were consistent with cell viability.


   RESULTS
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES
 
Assessment of nuclear changes in infected cells
Among the cardinal signs of cells undergoing apoptosis are chromatin condensation followed by DNA fragmentation with observable nuclear morphological changes. DAPI stain was used to detect nuclear morphological changes. Stained nuclei were inspected by fluorescence microscopy. Apoptosis-positive cells were defined morphologically by nuclear shrinkage, chromatin fragmentation and membrane blebbing. Four cell sets, each comprising five shell vials of cells, were tested in the DAPI staining experiments. The first set comprised the negative control cells and the second set were incubated with staurosporine, serving as a positive control. The third set was BPV-infected cells. Each of these shell vial cultures was stained with DAPI for the detection of apoptosis-positive cells. The fourth set, which also comprised infected cells, was prepared for IP staining to detect cells positive for viral antigen to confirm the numbers of cells actually undergoing virus infection. Apoptosis-positive cells were counted in each culture by scanning the entire coverslip. The means±SD of the numbers of apoptotic cells for each of the four culture sets are shown in Fig. 1Down. The results indicated that the numbers of apoptosis-positive cells in the BPV-infected cultures and the negative controls were equivalent. As expected, the positive control (staurosporine-treated cells) responded with significantly larger numbers of apoptotic cells. The number of virus-positive cells (total number of antigen-positive cells) was also much larger than the number of apoptotic cells in any of the cultures, confirming a high level of infected cells, which would be potential candidates for virus-induced apoptosis.


Figure 1
View larger version (19K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 1. Assessment of apoptosis in virus-infected cells using altered nuclear morphology as a marker. Nuclear shrinkage, chromatin fragmentation and membrane blebbing were identified in DAPI-stained cells. The number of antigen-positive (ag+) cells detected by IP staining (filled bar) revealed the number of virus-infected cells and hence the number of apoptosis candidate cells. Each bar represents the mean±SD of five cultures. SSP, Staurosporine.

 
Assessment of infected cells for apoptosis by annexin V–FITC staining
Cell sets were stained with FITC-labelled annexin V. The first set comprised uninfected control cells and the second set was cells incubated with staurosporine (positive control). The third set contained cells incubated with cycloheximide (also a positive control). The fourth set was composed of BPV-infected cells. The cells in each of the culture sets were stained with annexin V–FITC to detect apoptosis-positive cells by measuring the inversion of phosphatidylserine. As above, another set of infected cells was stained with IP stain to detect cells positive for viral antigen. The apoptosis-positive cells in each culture were counted under the microscope. The numbers of apoptotic cells in each of the five culture sets are shown in Fig. 2Down(a). The results indicated that the numbers of apoptosis-positive cells in the uninfected control cells and in the virus-infected cells were similar. As expected, the positive-control cultures had significantly larger numbers of apoptotic cells. The number of cells positive for virus antigen was also larger than the number of apoptotic cells in BPV-infected cells.


Figure 2
View larger version (19K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 2. Determination of phosphatidylserine inversion by annexin V binding (a) and caspase activation (b) as markers of apoptosis. Staurosporine (SSP) and cycloheximide (CHX) were used as positive controls for the induction of apoptosis. The total number (means±SD) of infected cells (apoptosis candidate cells) was determined by IP staining of cells positive for viral antigen.

 
Staining for caspases
Caspases are proteases that are present in zymogen forms. A pan-caspase assay using FITC-labelled z-VAD-fmk was used to test for caspase activity. Binding was detected by fluorescence microscopy. Positive cells showed light-green staining in the plasma membrane. The four cell sets prepared for caspase staining were the same as those for the annexin V analyses and were stained for detection of apoptosis-positive cells. A fifth cell set was prepared and stained with IP stain as before for virus-antigen-positive cells to confirm the level of virus infection and assess the number of candidate apoptotic cells. The number of positive-staining cells on each coverslip was counted. The numbers of cells showing caspase staining in each of the cell sets are shown in Fig. 2(b)Up. These results, together with two experimental replicates, demonstrated the failure of the virus to increase the numbers of apoptotic cells over the number seen in negative-control cells.

DNA fragmentation
In apoptotic cells, the DNA is cleaved non-randomly into fragments yielding DNA pieces that are multimers of about 180 bp consisting of nucleosomal units. They appear as DNA ladders on agarose gels. In contrast, in necrosis the cellular DNA is fragmented in a random fashion and appears as a smear on electrophoretic gels. The DNA of cells exposed to various treatments was extracted in parallel and separated by electrophoresis. Gel separation of the DNA isolated from infected cells and from positive- and negative-control cells is shown in Fig. 3Down. The negative-control cells and DMSO-treated cells had an intact DNA band (Fig. 3Down, lanes 2 and 3) with no laddering effect. Cells treated with staurosporine (positive control; Fig. 3Down, lane 5) exhibited a ladder of DNA fragments that were multimers separated at 180 bp intervals. In BPV-infected cells, the DNA was fragmented in a random fashion forming a smear with no evidence of laddering (Fig. 3Down, lane 4). A 100 bp size marker control ladder was included (Fig. 3Down, lane 1). Consistent results were obtained in replicate experiments. These results suggested a necrotic cell death pathway in virus-infected cells, rather than apoptosis.


Figure 3
View larger version (92K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 3. Electrophoretic separation of DNA fragments purified from BPV-infected EBTr cultures. Lanes: 1, 100 bp DNA ladder (positive control); 2, DNA extracted from uninfected cells; 3, DNA extracted from DMSO-treated, uninfected cells (solvent control); 4, DNA extracted from virus-infected cells; 5, DNA extracted from staurosporine-induced apoptotic cells. A DNA ladder is visible in lane 5. No regular DNA fragmentation was observed in the negative controls (lanes 2 and 3). DNA smearing with no visible laddering effect was noted in the DNA extracted from virus-infected cells (lane 4).

 
Determination of cell death by necrosis in virus-infected cells by detecting the release of cytoplasmic and nuclear constituents
The results of the above studies found no data suggestive of apoptosis in BPV-infected EBTr cells. If virus-infected cells are killed by necrotic cell death, it would be expected that the infected cells would burst, releasing their contents, including infectious virus particles, into the medium. As BPV virions are assembled in the nucleus, the release of intact viruses would indicate failure of both the cytoplasmic and the nuclear membrane. Infectivity assays were therefore used to assess the presence of cell-released virions in the medium of cultured cells. Two cultures were tested: a negative control and a BPV-infected culture. Medium samples were collected at various time intervals; the last sample was taken when complete viral CPE was apparent at 104 h post-infection (p.i.). In addition, at 104 h the remainder of the culture was freeze-thawed to disrupt the cells and release the cell-associated virus and HA. Assays of this sample thus revealed the maximum available amounts of viral material including virions. This sample was referred to as 104-M for the maximum available titre at 104 h p.i. Fig. 4Down shows the results of titrations detecting the number of infectious units in the medium. In the negative-control medium, no infectious particles were detected, whilst in the BPV-infected culture, the number of virions increased with time as the CPE increased.


Figure 4
View larger version (12K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 4. Cell-released (non-membrane-enclosed) infectious virus appearing in the culture medium over time. The appearance of CPE in the infected culture is also indicated. The maximum virus titre (cell-associated plus cell-released virus; 104-M) at 104 h following three freeze–thaw cycles is indicated by the shaded data points. bullet, Virus-infected cultures; {blacksquare}, uninfected control cultures.

 
The release of soluble viral HA together with particulate HA was detected using HA assays. Cells undergoing apoptosis form apoptotic bodies enclosing the cytoplasmic constituents, so few of the cytoplasmic contents are released in the surrounding environment. In contrast, when infected cells die by necrosis, viral proteins are expected to be found in the medium. The HA assay was thus used to detect the titre of cell-released HA protein, which is consistent with necrotic death. Two cultures were prepared: a negative control and a virus-infected culture. Samples of the medium were taken at specified time intervals. The release of viral HA during the course of infection is shown in Fig. 5Down. The data confirmed that, as the CPE increased, the titre of HA protein increased in the supernatant of the BPV-infected culture. The negative control did not show HA activity.


Figure 5
View larger version (11K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 5. Cell-released viral HA appearing in the culture supernatant over time (shown on a log scale). The CPE denoting the progress of virus infection appearing with time is indicated. The shaded data points represent the results when the cultures were terminated by three freeze–thaw cycles at 104 h p.i. and the maximum amount (cell-associated plus cell-released virus) of HA determined. bullet, Virus-infected cultures; {blacksquare}, uninfected control cultures.

 
An additional approach for the detection of cytolysis is the determination of LDH levels. LDH is a stable cytoplasmic enzyme present in all cells and is rapidly released following damage to the plasma membrane. Release of LDH by damaged cells can thus be used as an indicator of cell death by necrosis. In contrast, the cell membrane remains intact during apoptosis and LDH therefore is not released into the extracellular space or the cell culture supernatant. Thus, the LDH assay measures cytotoxicity in cells caused by necrosis, not apoptosis. The amount of enzyme activity detected in the culture medium is correlated to the proportion of lysed cells.

Samples were collected from the medium of infected and control cultures at various time intervals and centrifuged to remove contaminating cells. LDH activity was determined and the results are shown in Fig. 6Down. LDH concentration in both culture supernatants was approximately the same at the beginning of the experiment. As increasing times p.i., viral CPE was detected in BPV-infected cells. At 42 h p.i., the concentration of the released enzyme increased. Significantly higher levels of LDH were detected in virus-infected cell supernatants than in the control supernatants, indicating necrotic cell damage in the infected cells.


Figure 6
View larger version (9K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 6. Release of soluble LDH into the culture medium in a virus-infected culture. Following infection, significantly more LDH was released into the medium of the infected culture ({blacksquare}) compared with the uninfected culture ({blacklozenge}).

 
Further experimentation was carried out to measure LDH release in cultures infected with a range of infection multiplicities (Fig. 7aDown). Cultures in 24-well plates were infected with m.o.i. ranging from 0.0001 to 0.5 and observed for 4 days for CPE development. At this time, culture supernatant samples were tested for LDH activity (Fig. 7aDown). Enzyme activity rose significantly in cultures infected at an m.o.i. of 0.1 or 0.5. The highest levels of LDH correlated with cultures infected at the highest m.o.i. and this culture also exhibited the greatest level of CPE. A time-course experiment (Fig. 7bDown) demonstrated LDH release as early as 24 h p.i. with maximum activity noted at day 4, the end of the experiment. LDH release was also dependent on m.o.i. in this study. An additional set of controls that tested LDH release in cycloheximide-treated cultures (a second ‘negative’ control for necrosis) was included and showed LDH release in amounts indistinguishable from the untreated cell controls. The release of this enzyme from infected cells thus confirmed the necrotic cell death of BPV-infected EBTr cells.


Figure 7
View larger version (9K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 7. Release of LDH from infected cells as a function of m.o.i. and time p.i. EBTr cells were infected at m.o.i. ranging from 0.0001 to 0.5. At 4 days p.i., the culture medium was tested for release of LDH (a) (mean, {blacksquare}). The CPE is indicated in parentheses. In another series of experiments, LDH release into the culture medium was detected over time in cultures infected at m.o.i. of 0.5, 0.1 and 0.01 (b). Levels of CPE in the culture infected at an m.o.i. of 0.5 were: day 1 (+/–), day 2 (2+) and day 4 (3+). In both studies, LDH release into the medium was associated with virus-induced cell damage consistent with CPE development, although in (b), LDH release preceded full manifestation of CPE. Release of soluble LDH is indicative of cell necrosis.

 
Detection of cell viability
Conversion of the reagent WST-1 to formazan is a measure of the activity of mitochondrial dehydrogenases in viable cells. This enzyme activity is not present in necrotic, dead cells, but is present, although somewhat diminished, in apoptotic cells. To confirm that virus infection in EBTr cells resulted in a cytolytic response, the following study was undertaken. Cultures of EBTr cells in 24-well plates were inoculated with virus at m.o.i. ranging from 0.0001 to 0.5. At 4 days p.i., culture cells were tested for enzyme activity. Cultures were also scored for CPE. The results (Fig. 8aDown) showed loss of cell viability at an m.o.i. of 0.1 or 0.5. Cell death was consistent with increasing m.o.i. and correlated with CPE development. Loss of cell viability in virus-infected cells was tested over a 4 day time period (Fig. 8bDown). Loss of viability in infected cultures was discernable by day 4.


Figure 8
View larger version (11K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 8. Decrease in cell metabolic activity in virus-infected EBTr cells as a function of m.o.i. and time p.i. Cell metabolic activity (mean, {blacksquare}) was measured using the WST-1 cell proliferation reagent, which detects mitochondrial dehydrogenases in viable cells. At m.o.i. of 0.5 and 0.1, cell viability was reduced significantly at day 4 p.i. (a). There was a direct correlation between loss of cell metabolic activity and the development of CPE. Furthermore, tests of loss of cell viability due to virus infection (m.o.i.=0.5) over time revealed significant loss of cell viability by day 4 but not at day 2 p.i. (b). {square}, Uninfected controls (m.o.i.=0); {blacksquare}, cultures infected at an m.o.i. of 0.5. Results are shown as means±SD.

 

   DISCUSSION
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES
 
Many non-enveloped viruses that mature in the nucleus depend on either physical disruption of the cell or on apoptosis for egress. Physical disruption may result from a necrosis pathway or from the application of external physical forces on the cell. Natural exit pathways used by BPV previously have not been understood; this research was therefore undertaken to gain insight into how this virus kills infected cells (apoptosis or necrosis) and to begin an investigation of its mechanism of egress.

Cells undergoing apoptosis exhibit cardinal features such as changes in cellular and nuclear morphology, non-random DNA fragmentation, phosphatidylserine inversion on the plasma membrane, caspase activation and the formation of apoptotic bodies. In this study, several of these signs were examined to determine whether BPV-infected cells undergo apoptosis. As not all markers of apoptosis may be detected as positive in cells killed by apoptosis, several markers were assessed to see whether any of them would reveal evidence of apoptotic cell death. None of the findings suggested an apoptotic mechanism.

Cells undergoing necrosis release cytoplasmic contents due to bursting. The rationale for the approach employed in this study to assess cytotoxicity/necrosis was similar to that of Blanco et al. (2003)Down, who reported cell killing by human immunodeficiency virus 1 protease by showing the release of intracellular proteins into the medium and the release of LDH. If BPV-infected cells are killed by necrosis, unassembled viral proteins, infectious virus particles and cellular materials should be present in the medium of cultured cells that are infected with the virus and should be released in a burst rather than slowly over a relatively long period of time, as would be expected if apoptotic degradation were the mechanism of virus egress. The number of infectious particles and HA titres in the medium increased rapidly with time p.i. and increased as CPE increased, indicating the release of infected-cell contents into the medium. The time course or kinetics of material release was consistent with asynchronous cell degradation. BPV matures by assembly in the nucleus. Thus, the finding of infectious, cell-released virus in the culture medium was suggestive of plasma membrane and nuclear membrane breakdown consistent with cell necrosis. Additionally, an LDH enzyme assay was used to detect cytolysis (Blanco et al., 2003Down). The enzyme is a constitutive enzyme present in the cytoplasm of all cell types. When the plasma membrane is damaged due to necrotic burst, LDH is released into the medium of cultured cells. In contrast, the cell membranes remain intact during apoptosis, preventing the release of LDH into the supernatant. The results of the LDH assay demonstrated enzyme release into the supernatant of BPV-infected cells, verifying that plasma membrane damage occurred in the virus-infected cells. LDH release from infected cells over time correlated with CPE development. The enzyme was released early into the medium of cultures infected at higher m.o.i., but not into cultures infected at low m.o.i. at early times p.i. before spread of virus within the culture. These observations confirmed cell bursts and death by necrosis.

Supporting evidence for necrosis, in addition to release of the HA antigen, assembled particles and LDH, was obtained in studies of cell viability, which tested for mitochondrial dehydrogenases. The reagent WST-1 was used to test for mitochondrial activity in cells. As cells lyse in the necrotic pathway, the mitochondria become non-functional. In apoptotic cells, mitochondrial activity remains intact and is only slowly reduced as the pathway progresses. Cells shown to be non-viable at early times p.i. by this test, as in our observations, are killed by necrosis, whereas apoptosis must be considered in cell populations killed over long periods of time and in which mitochondrial enzyme activity is slowly reduced. None of the markers for apoptosis were positive, confirming that cell death detected by WST-1 was mediated by necrosis. Thus, the data obtained in this study indicate that BPV-infected EBTr cells die by necrosis.

These findings do not eliminate the possibility that this virus may induce apoptosis in other host cells or even in EBTr cells under different conditions. For example, H-1, another parvovirus, kills QGY-7703 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells by a non-apoptotic process (Li et al., 2005Down), but it kills C6 rat glioblastoma cells by apoptosis (Ohshima et al., 1998Down). Several other parvoviruses, including minute virus of mouse (MVM), B19, RPV, FPLV, CPV and ADV, as noted earlier, induce apoptotic responses in host cells. It was therefore somewhat surprising that apoptosis was not detected in BPV-infected cells. We are currently assessing other cell types for BPV-induced apoptosis.

Future studies will examine the role of non-structural proteins in virus-induced cytotoxicity. The pleiotropic NS1 non-structural protein of parvoviruses plays numerous critical roles during virus replication. Among other functions, NS1 has been assigned the role of the virus effector of cytotoxicity in MVM-infected cells (Anouja et al., 1997Down; Legendre & Rommelaere, 1992Down). Some reports show that NS1 and NS2 act together to cause cytotoxicity in infected cells (Brandenburger et al., 1990Down; Legrand et al., 1993Down). Furthermore, NS2 is thought to act in the process of nuclear egress of progeny MVM particles (Eichwald et al., 2002Down). The parvovirus B19 replicates in erythroid precursor cells, but in human infections it can persist in multiple tissues and evidence suggests its involvement in a variety of diseases (Poole et al., 2004Down) where NS1 transcription is important in cell death. NS1 transfection has been shown to be cytotoxic (Caillet-Fauquet et al., 1990Down; Moffatt et al., 1998Down; Momoeda et al., 1994Down). Hepatocytes undergoing apoptosis in cases of acute fulminant liver failure are linked to B19 NS1 expression (Poole et al., 2004Down). In fact, NS1 is sufficient to induce apoptosis in liver-derived cells and does so through the initiation of intrinsic caspase pathways, probably caspase 3- and 9-dependent pathways (Poole et al., 2006Down). Thus, parvovirus infection in naturally non-permissive cells, in some cases, may result in cell damage by apoptosis mediated by the non-structural proteins. BPV NP1 is another candidate, in addition to NS1, for mediation of cytotoxicity and may enhance cytotoxic activity synergistically with NS1, since NS2 works together with NS1 in the H-1 system. Whether BPV NS1 or NP1 is a mediator of cell cytotoxicity will be examined in future studies.


   ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
 
This project was supported in part by the John W. Adkins Memorial Virus Research Fund.


   REFERENCES
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES
 
Abinanti, F. R. & Warfield, M. S. (1961). Recovery of a hemadsorbing virus (HADEN) from the gastrointestinal tract of calves. Virology 14, 288–289.[CrossRef][Medline]

Anouja, F., Wattiez, R., Mousset, S. & Caillet-Fauquet, P. (1997). The cytotoxicity of the parvovirus minute virus of mice nonstructural protein NS1 is related to changes in the synthesis and phosphorylation of cell proteins. J Virol 71, 4671–4678.[Abstract]

Bauder, B., Suchy, A., Gabler, C. & Weissenbock, H. (2000). Apoptosis in feline panleukopenia and canine parvovirus enteritis. J Vet Med B Infect Dis Vet Public Health 47, 775–784.[Medline]

Best, S. M., Wolfinbarger, J. B. & Bloom, M. E. (2002). Caspase activation is required for permissive replication of Aleutian mink disease parvovirus in vitro. Virology 292, 224–234.[CrossRef][Medline]

Blackburn, S. D., Cline, S. E., Hemming, J. P. & Johnson, F. B. (2005). Attachment of bovine parvovirus to O-linked {alpha}2,3 neuraminic acid on glycophorin A. Arch Virol 150, 1477–1484.[CrossRef][Medline]

Blanco, R., Carrasco, L. & Ventoso, I. (2003). Cell killing by HIV-1 protease. J Biol Chem 278, 1086–1093.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Brandenburger, A., Legendre, D., Avalosse, B. & Rommelaere, J. (1990). NS-1 and NS-2 proteins may act synergistically in the cytopathogenicity of parvovirus MVMp. Virology 174, 576–584.[CrossRef][Medline]

Caillet-Fauquet, P., Perros, M., Brandenburger, A., Spegelaere, P. & Rommelaere, J. (1990). Programmed killing of human cells by means of an inducible clone of parvoviral genes encoding non-structural proteins. EMBO J 9, 2989–2995.[Medline]

Chen, K. C., Shull, B. C., Moses, E. A., Lederman, M., Stout, E. R. & Bates, R. C. (1986). Complete nucleotide sequence and genome organization of bovine parvovirus. J Virol 60, 1085–1097.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Chisaka, H., Morita, E., Murata, K., Ishii, N., Yaegashi, N., Okamura, K. & Sugamura, K. (2002). A transgenic mouse model for non-immune hydrops fetalis induced by the NS1 gene of human parvovirus B19. J Gen Virol 83, 273–281.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Clark, C. & Boyles, S. (1999). Possible connection between apoptotic pathways in human parvovirus B19. Blood Wkly 25 October 1999, 7.

Durham, P. J. K. & Johnson, R. H. (1985). Studies on the replication of a bovine parvovirus. Vet Microbiol 10, 165–177.[CrossRef][Medline]

Eichwald, V., Daeffler, L., Klein, M., Rommelaere, J. & Salomé, N. (2002). The NS2 proteins of parvovirus minute virus of mice are required for efficient nuclear egress of progeny virions in mouse cells. J Virol 76, 10307–10319.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Fauquet, C. M., Mayo, M. A., Maniloff, J., Desselberger, U. & Ball, L. A. (2005). Family Parvoviridae. In Virus Taxonomy. Eighth Report of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, pp. 353–369. Edited by C. M. Fauquet, M. A. Mayo, J. Maniloff, U. Desselberger & L. A. Ball. San Diego, CA: Elsevier Academic Press.

Gaddy, D. S. & Lyles, D. F. (2005). Vesicular stomatitis viruses expressing wild-type or mutant M proteins activate apoptosis through distinct pathways. J Virol 79, 4170–4179.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Hengartner, M. O. (2000). The biochemistry of apoptosis. Nature 407, 770–776.[CrossRef][Medline]

Herrmann, M., Lorenz, H., Voll, R., Grünke, M., Woith, W. & Kalden, J. (1994). A rapid and simple method for the isolation of apoptotic DNA fragments. Nucleic Acids Res 22, 5506–5507.[Free Full Text]

Hsu, T.-C., Wu, W.-J., Chen, M.-C. & Tsay, G. J. (2004). Human parvovirus B19 non-structural protein (NS1) induces apoptosis through mitochondria cell death pathway in COS-7 cells. Scand J Infect Dis 36, 570–577.[CrossRef][Medline]

Ikeda, Y., Shinozuka, J., Miyazawa, T. & 8 other authors (1998). Apoptosis in feline panleukopenia virus-infected lymphocytes. J Virol 72, 6932–6936.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Johnson, F. B. (1983). Parvovirus proteins. In The Parvoviruses, pp. 259–295. Edited by K. I. Berns. New York: Plenum.

Johnson, F. B. & Hoggan, M. D. (1973). Structural proteins of HADEN virus. Virology 51, 129–137.[CrossRef][Medline]

Johnson, F. B., Fenn, L. B., Owens, T. J., Faucheux, L. J. & Blackburn, S. D. (2004). Attachment of bovine parvovirus to sialic acids on bovine cell membranes. J Gen Virol 85, 2199–2207.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Kopecky, S. A., Willingham, M. C. & Lyles, D. S. (2001). Matrix protein and another viral component contribute to induction of apoptosis in cells infected with vesicular stomatitis virus. J Virol 75, 12169–12181.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Koyama, A. H., Fukumori, T., Fujita, M., Irie, H. & Adachi, A. (2000). Physiological significance of apoptosis in animal virus infection. Microbes Infect 2, 1111–1117.[CrossRef][Medline]

Lederman, M., Bates, R. C. & Stout, E. R. (1983). In vitro and in vivo studies of bovine parvovirus protein. J Virol 48, 10–17.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Legendre, D. & Rommelaere, J. (1992). Terminal regions of the NS-1 protein of the parvovirus minute virus of mice are involved in cytotoxicity and promoter trans inhibition. J Virol 66, 5705–5713.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Legrand, C., Rommelaere, J. & Caillet-Fauquet, P. (1993). MVM(p) NS-2 protein expression is required with NS-1 for maximal cytotoxicity in human transformed cells. Virology 195, 149–155.[CrossRef][Medline]

Li, J., Werner, E., Hergenhahn, M., Poirey, R., Luo, Z., Rommelaere, J. & Jauniaux, J.-C. (2005). Expression profiling of human hepatoma cells reveals global repression of genes involved in cell proliferation, growth, and apoptosis upon infection with parvovirus H-1. J Virol 79, 2274–2286.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Luker, G., Chow, C., Richards, D. F. & Johnson, F. B. (1991). Suitability of infection of cells in suspension for detection of herpes simplex virus. J Clin Microbiol 29, 1554–1557.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Ma, X., Endo, R., Ishiguro, N., Ebihara, T., Ishiko, H., Ariga, T. & Kikuta, H. (2006). Detection of human bocavirus in Japanese children with lower respiratory tract infections. J Clin Microbiol 44, 1132–1134.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Moehler, M., Blechacz, B., Weiskopf, N., Zeidler, M., Stremmel, W., Rommelaere, J., Galle, P. R. & Cornelis, J. J. (2001). Effective infection, apoptotic cell killing and gene transfer of human hepatoma cells but not primary hepatocytes by parvovirus H1 and derived vectors. Cancer Gene Ther 8, 158–167.[Medline]

Moehler, M. H., Zeidler, M., Wilsberg, V., Cornelis, J. J., Woelfel, T., Rommelaere, J., Galle, P. R. & Heike, M. (2005). Parvovirus H-1-induced tumor cell death enhances human immune response in vitro via increased phagocytosis, maturation, and cross-presentation by dendritic cells. Hum Gene Ther 16, 996–1005.[CrossRef][Medline]

Moffatt, S., Yaegashi, N., Tada, K. & Sugamura, K. (1998). Human parvovirus B19 nonstructural (NS1) protein induces apoptosis in erythroid lineage cells. J Virol 72, 3018–3028.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Momoeda, M., Wong, S., Kawase, M., Young, N. S. & Kajigaya, S. (1994). A putative nucleoside triphosphate-binding domain in the nonstructural protein of B19 parvovirus is required for cytotoxicity. J Virol 68, 8443–8446.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Ohshima, T., Iwama, M., Ueno, Y., Sugiyama, F., Nakajima, T., Fukamizu, A. & Yagami, K. (1998). Induction of apoptosis in vitro and in vivo by H-1 parvovirus infection. J Gen Virol 79, 3067–3071.[Abstract]

Poole, B. D., Karetnyi, Y. V. & Naides, S. J. (2004). Parvovirus B19-induced apoptosis of hepatocytes. J Virol 78, 7775–7783.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Poole, B. D., Zhou, J., Grote, A., Shiffenbauer, A. & Naides, S. J. (2006). Apoptosis of liver-derived cells induced by parvovirus B19 nonstructural protein. J Virol 80, 4114–4121.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Raj, K., Ogston, P. & Beard, P. (2001). Virus-mediated killing of cells that lack p53 activity. Nature 412, 914–917.[CrossRef][Medline]

Selliah, N. & Finkel, T. H. (2001). Biochemical mechanisms of HIV induced T cell apoptosis. Cell Death Differ 8, 127–136.[CrossRef][Medline]

Shen, Y. & Shenk, T. E. (1995). Viruses and apoptosis. Curr Opin Genet Dev 5, 105–111.[CrossRef][Medline]

Thacker, T. C. & Johnson, F. B. (1998). Binding of bovine parvovirus to erythrocyte membrane sialylglycoproteins. J Gen Virol 79, 2163–2169.[Abstract]

Ueno, Y., Harada, T., Iseki, H., Oshima, T., Sugiyama, F. & Yagami, K. (2001). Propagation of rat parvovirus in thymic lymphoma cell line C58(NT)D and subsequent appearance of a resistant cell clone after lytic infection. J Virol 75, 3965–3970.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Yaegashi, N., Niinuma, T., Chisaka, H. & 12 other authors (1999). Parvovirus B19 infection induces apoptosis of erythroid cells in vitro and in vivo. J Infect 39, 68–76.[CrossRef][Medline]

Yuan, J. & Horvitz, H. R. (2004). A first insight into the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis. Cell 116 (Suppl.), S53–S56.[Medline]

Received 7 February 2006; accepted 19 May 2006.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
J. Virol.Home page
S. Jain, L. W. McGinnes, and T. G. Morrison
Thiol/Disulfide Exchange Is Required for Membrane Fusion Directed by the Newcastle Disease Virus Fusion Protein
J. Virol., March 1, 2007; 81(5): 2328 - 2339.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Abdel-Latif, L.
Right arrow Articles by Johnson, F. B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Abdel-Latif, L.
Right arrow Articles by Johnson, F. B.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Abdel-Latif, L.
Right arrow Articles by Johnson, F. B.


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
INT J SYST EVOL MICROBIOL MICROBIOLOGY J GEN VIROL
J MED MICROBIOL ALL SGM JOURNALS