The virulence factor PA protein of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus inhibits NF-κB transcription in vitro

The virulence factor PA protein of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus inhibits NF-κB transcription in vitro

Archives of Virology, July 2017

28744591

Zhu Cui, Jiao Hu, Xiaoquan Wang, Min Gu, Xiaowen Liu, Shunlin Hu, Zenglei Hu, Huimou Liu, Wenbo Liu, Sujuan Chen, Daxin Peng, Xinan Jiao, Xiufan Liu

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) plays a crucial role in inflammation and immune responses. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the innate immune response affect H5N1 virus virulence in mice. In this study, we first showed that the PA protein of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus strain CK10 had the strongest inhibitory effect on NF-κB activation when compared with other genes, and that it acted in a dose independent-manner. We then determined the critical amino acids of PA that contribute to this effect. Furthermore, PA also inhibited NF-κB-regulated inflammatory factors, including IL-6, IL-2, Nos-2 and TNF-α. However, the inhibitory effect on NF-κB activation mediated by PA was not associated with nuclear translocation of p65.