Ebola and Marburg virus-like particles activate human myeloid dendritic cells

Virology. 2004 Sep 1;326(2):280-7. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2004.05.025.

Abstract

The filoviruses, Ebola (EBOV) and Marburg (MARV), are potential global health threats, which cause deadly hemorrhagic fevers. Although both EBOV and MARV logarithmically replicate in dendritic cells (DCs), these viruses do not elicit DC cytokine secretion and fail to activate and mature infected DCs. Here, we employed virus-like particles (VLPs) of EBOV and MARV to investigate whether these genome-free particles maintain similar immune evasive properties as authentic filoviruses. Confocal microscopy indicated that human myeloid-derived DCs readily took up VLPs. However, unlike EBOV and MARV, VLPs induced maturation of DCs including upregulation of costimulatory molecules (CD40, CD80, CD86), major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II surface antigens, and the late DC maturation marker CD83. The chemokine receptors CCR5 and CCR7 were also modulated on VLP-stimulated DCs, indicating that DC could migrate following VLP exposure. Furthermore, VLPs also elicited DC secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-8, IL-6, and MIP-1alpha. Most significantly, in stark contrast to DC treated with intact EBOV or MARV, DC stimulated with EBOV or MARV VLPs showed enhanced ability to support human T-cell proliferation in an allogenic mixed lymphocyte response (MLR). Thus, our findings suggest that unlike EBOV and MARV, VLPs are effective stimulators of DCs and have potential in enhancing innate and adaptive immune responses.

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, CD / analysis
  • B7-1 Antigen / analysis
  • B7-2 Antigen
  • CD40 Antigens / analysis
  • CD83 Antigen
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chemokine CCL3
  • Chemokine CCL4
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism
  • Dendritic Cells / virology
  • Ebolavirus / immunology*
  • Filoviridae Infections / immunology
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / analysis
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / analysis
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulins / analysis
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins / analysis
  • Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Marburgvirus / immunology*
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / analysis
  • Receptors, CCR5 / analysis
  • Receptors, CCR7
  • Receptors, Chemokine / analysis

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • B7-1 Antigen
  • B7-2 Antigen
  • CCR7 protein, human
  • CD40 Antigens
  • CD86 protein, human
  • Chemokine CCL3
  • Chemokine CCL4
  • Cytokines
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II
  • Immunoglobulins
  • Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Receptors, CCR5
  • Receptors, CCR7
  • Receptors, Chemokine