• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.72-78
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• 1993

Since the 'promoter/enhancer region of the major immediate early (IE) ~ene of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) contains the cyclic AMP (cAMP) response element (CRE) consensus sequence, it was reasonable to hypothesize that cAMP might affect HCMV replication. Cyclic AMP modulating drugs such as 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (BrA), and papaverine were used to affect the intracellular levels of cAMP, and the effects of the drugs on HCMV replication were studied. While papaverine effectively inhibited HCMV multiplication and DNA synthesis, BrA exerted little effect on the production of infectious HCMV yields. The synthesis of DNA in HCMV-infected cells appeared to be stimulated by BrA In order to understand the effect of cAMP on the expression of HCMV major IE gene, plasmid (pCMVIE/CAT) containing a reporter gene driven by HCMV IE promoter was transfected into either permissive human embryo lung (HEL) cells or nonpermissive cells. PL,Javerine, which has been reported to block the HCMV-induced increase in cAMP, reduced the expression of pCMVIE/CA T in permissive HEL cells. Treatment of transfected cells with BrA increased the expression of HCMV major IE promoter not only in HEL cells, but also in nonpermissive HeLa and Vero cells. Therefore, it seems that the expression of HCMV major IE gene is regulated by cAMP.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.69-79
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• 2017

Viruses continue to evolve a new strategy to take advantage of every aspect of host cells in order to maximize their survival. Due to their central roles in transducing a variety of transmembrane signals, GPCRs seem to be a prime target for viruses to pirate for their own use. Incorporation of GPCR functionality into the genome of herpesviruses has been demonstrated to be essential for pathogenesis of many herpesviruses-induced diseases. Here, we introduce US28 of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) as the best-studied example of virally-encoded GPCRs to manipulate host GPCR signaling. In this review, we wish to summarize a number of US28-related topics including its regulation of host signaling pathways, its constitutive internalization, its structural and functional analysis, its roles in HCMV biology and pathogenesis, its proliferative activities and role in oncogenesis, and pharmacological modulation of its biological activities. This review will aid in our understanding of how pathogenic viruses usurp the host GPCR signaling for successful viral infection. This kind of knowledge will enable us to build a better strategy to control viral infection by normalizing the virally-dysregulated host GPCR signaling.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1627-1635
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• 2013

Mitochondria often play central roles in apoptotic pathways, and disruption of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (${\Delta}{\psi}m$) has been observed in various cells undergoing apoptosis. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection induces apoptosis in permissive cells; however, investigations of mitochondria-targeted apoptosis in HCMV-infected human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cells have been limited. Here, we investigated the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in HCMV-infected HFF cells. Flow cytometry analysis using JC-1 revealed that HCMV infection induces disruption of ${\Delta}{\psi}m$ in HFF cells when administered 24 h post-infection (hpi), and this disruption was maximized at 48 hpi. Moreover, cytochrome c, normally a mitochondrial inner membrane protein, was detected in cytoplasmic extracts of HCMV-infected cells, but not mock-infected cells, by western blot analysis at 24 hpi. A caspase activity assay based on fluorescence spectrophotometry using a fluorogenic substrate revealed an increase in caspase-3 activity at 48 hpi in HCMV-infected cells. Caspase-8 activity was increased at 72 hpi in HCMV-infected cells. These results imply that HCMV infection induces mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in HFF cells.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.542-548
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• 1999

The UL47 gene (b 60390-b 60388) located in the unique long region of the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) AD169 strain genome was analyzed RNA mapping. Northern blot analysis showed that the UL47 gene was expressed at late times after infection (72 h postinfection). The 9.7-kb transcript was expressed in the infected cells but not in phosphonoformate-treated cells at 72 hpi, indicating that the UL47 gene was only expressed at late times after infection. To map the 5'-end and 3'-end of UL47 transcripts, primer at late times after infection. To map the 5'-end and 3'-end of UL47 transcripts, primer extension and RNase protection analysis were performed. Primer extension analysis revealed that the transcription initiation site of UL47 was located in 27 bp downstream (b 60323) of the TATA box motif. The sizes of UL47 ORF (approximately 2.9-kb) and UL48 ORF (approximately 6.7-kb) deduced from computer sequence analysis suggest that the expressed 9.7-kb transcript of UL47 uses the 3'-end polyadenylation signal of Ul48. The result of RNase protection determined that the 3'-end of UL47 RNA utilized the 3'-end polyadenylation signal of UL48, which is located in HCMV genome b 70082.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1996

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication and $Ca^{2+}$ response in human cell lines of neuronal origin were investigated. SK-N-SH (neuroblastoma cells) and A172 cells (glioblastoma cells) were used. SK-N-SH cells were permissive for HCMV multiplication with a delay of one day compared to virus multiplication in human embryo lung (HEL) cells. The delay of HCMV multiplication in SK-N-SH cells appeared to be correlated with a delay in the $Ca^{2+}$ response. The cytoplasmic free $Ca^{2+}$ concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) began to increase at 12 h p.i. in HCMV-infected SK-N-SH cells, while $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase in HCMV-infected HEL cells was observed as early as 3 h p.i. On the whole, the level of the increase in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ in SK-N-SH cells was about 30% of that in HEL cells. On the other hand, in A172 cells infected with HCMV, neither production of infectious virus nor detectable increase in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ was observed. Treatment with TPA of HCMV-infected SK-N-SH cells resulted in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase at 6 h p.i. The stimulatory effect of TPA on HCMV- induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase continued until 12 h p.i., but TPA failed to stimulate the $Ca^{2+}$ response in SK-N-SH cells at 24 h p.i., suggesting that the effect of TPA had disappeared in SK-N-SH cells at that time point. In conclusion, SK-N-SH cells are permissive for HCMV replication and the delay in $Ca^{2+}$ response may be a consequence of the lower responsiveness of SK-N-SH cells than HEL cells to HCMV infection.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1995.10b
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• pp.294.1-294
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• 1995

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2000

US3 gene is a member of the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) immediate early gene. Although the precise functions of the US3 gene in HCMV replication and pathogenesis are not known, it has been reported to play a role in inhibiting major histocompatibility class I antigen presentation. For further knowledge of US3 gene expression, rabbit polyclonal antiserum of the US3 gene product was used for indirect immunofluorescence assay. In permissive human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cells, US3 gene expression was detectable as crescent or half-moon shape in the perinuclear region at immediate early times after virus infection. HFF cells infected with mutant HCMV lacking US3 open reading frames were negative for US3 immunofluorescence assay. Double immunofluorescence assay using monoclonal antibody to gamma adaptin (specific for the Golgi complex) and rabbit anti-US3 antiserum revealed that US3 gene product could be localized to the Golgi complex. At later time after HCMV infection, US3 gene products were detected as globular aggregates in the cytosol. These aggregates were positive for gamma adaptin and stained with preimmune serum, suggesting a nonspecific reaction to the Golgi complex. Northern blot analysis revealed that transcription of US3 was observed only during immediate early times after virus infection (until 6 h postinfection). Therefore US3 gene expression appears to be confined to immediate early time and its gene products are localized to the Golgi complex as crescent shaped forms in the perinuclear cytoplasm.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.255-255
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• 2002

For rapid and sensitive measurement of antiviral activities, application of a recombinant virus containing firefly luciferase gene was attempted. Recombinant human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) containing luciferase gene driven by HCMV late gene pp28 promoter (HCMV/pp28-luc) was used to test the antiviral activities of three known compounds and the result was compared with results from the conventional plaque assay for measuring the production of infectious viruses. When human fibroblast cells were infected with HCMV/pp28-luc, luciferase activity was observed at 2 days after infection and reached maximum at 6 days after infection, whereas the production of infectious virus was maximal at 4 days after infection. The antiviral activities of ganciclovir, acyclovir, and papaverine were measured in HFF cells infected with HCMV/PP28-luc and the luciferase activity was compared with the infectious virus titers. Luciferase activity decreased as the concentration of ganciclovir or papaverine increased, while there was a slight decrease in luciferase activity with acyclovir. The level of the decrease in Luciferase activity was comparable to the level of decrease in the production of infectious virus. Therefore, the antiviral assay using recombinant virus HCMV/pp28-luc resulted in sensitivity similar to the conventional plaque assay with a significant reduction in assay time.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.125-130
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• 2000

Infection with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is of considerable clinical relevance after placental transmission and in immunosuppressed patients such as transplant recipients or patients with AIDS. The rapid detection method of HCMV has been required to overcome the time-consuming methods such as classical plaque assay or other immunological methods. This study was performed to establish the in situ ELISA, in which human lung fibroblasts infected with HCMV were fixed and used directly as antigen in 96 well culture plate. Expressed HCMV antigens were detected with HCMV-specific monoclonal antibodies. This method could detect HCMV dose-dependently upto $3{\times}10^2\;pfu/ml$. Antiviral activity of ganciclovir could be assayed within the known range of effective dose. This result showed that HCMV could be quantitated by in situ ELISA. The chemical, which was selected on the basis of component analysis in natural product, was tested to have the anti-HCMV activity by in situ ELISA, and three among five samples were found to have anti-HCMV activity with the dose-dependent manner. Conclusively in situ ELISA could be useful method for quantitation of HCMV and screening antiviral activity of samples to HCMV.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.299-304
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• 2008

Monocytic cells in myeloid lineage are known for latent site of HCMV Previous studies have suggested that HCMV regulates cell cycle progression in a variety of cells, but studies in monocytic cells are limited. In this study, we attempted to understand cell cycle changes after HCMV infection in the monocytic cell lines. Flow cytometric analyses using propidium iodide revealed that the proportion of G0-G1 phase was increased and the proportion of S phase decreased in HCMV-infected THP-1 cells, but not in HL-60 cells. BrdU-incorporation assay supported that cell proliferation was inhibited in HCMV-infected THP-1 cells by inhibition of de novo DNA synthesis. Western blot analysis revealed that p21, inhibitor of cell cycle progression from G1 phase to S phase, was induced in HCMV-infected THP-1 cells but not in HL-60 cells. Thus, HCMV inhibited cell pro-liferation by arresting the cell cycle at G0-G1 phase through induction of p21 protein in promocytic THP-1 cells.