Rapid production of type I Interferon is pivotal to initiate cellular antiviral host defense and adaptive immunity. In order to facilitate innate immune processes, a cell harbors pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) which sense distinctive forms of pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). For example, Toll like receptors (TLRs) and RIG-I like receptors (RLRs) were discovered as PRRs for pathogen derived molecules and the production of type I Interferon (IFN). To induce type I IFN, several transcription factors such as nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-ĸB), interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7), and activating protein-1 (AP-1) need to be stimulated through the specific signaling adaptors. Among them, our lab is interesting in the death domain (DD) containing proteins Receptor interacting kinase1 (RIP1) and Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD), which we showed were important for innate signaling processes. RIP1 and FADD were initially identified as Fas and TNFR interacting proteins which were involved in death receptor mediated apoptosis. Aside from apopotic function, recent publications indicate that RIP1 and FADD mediate cell survival, proliferation, and cytokine production through NF-ĸB activation. Here, we show that RIP1 and FADD are essential for efficient TLR-independent signaling. We report that RIP1 and FADD lacking MEF cells are sensitive to viral cytolysis and also exhibit impaired IFN production against dsRNA virus infection. RIP1 acts as a scaffolding protein for death receptor mediated apoptosis and NF-ĸB activation, necrosis, and innate immunity. As mentioned, we demonstrate that cells lacking RIP1 are sensitive to RNA virus infection. To understand the detailed mechanisms of RIP1 function in innate signaling, we first tested whether RIP1 is involved in RIG-I signaling. We found that RIP1 forms a complex with RIG-I in the presence of dsRNA. Additionally, we showed that RIP1 is required for optimal RIG-I and melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA-5) activity. We also find that FADD, a RIP1 interaction protein, is implicated in innate immunity. To study the precise mechanisms of FADD in type I IFN signaling, we generated FADD variants and used luciferase reporter assays to indicate that the FADD death effector domain (DED) is crucial for IFN-β signaling. In order to identify interacting partners of FADD, yeast two hybrid assays were performed and indicated that FADD binds to protein inhibitor of activated STAT (PIAS1), part of the SUMO machinery. SUMOylation is a reversible post-translational modification of a protein by SUMO, a 100 amino acid protein. The consequence of SUMOylation alters specific proteins’ function by affecting activity, localization, stability or influencing molecular interactions by interfering with or linking to a target protein. To confirm FADD-PIAS interactions, we conducted in-vitro SUMOylation assays by using Ubc9 conjugated FADD and found possible FADD SUMOylation sites. We also discovered that FADD and SUMO are co-localized in the nucleus. This result reveals that FADD undergoes SUMOylations and its modification might regulate FADD’s function, including role in innate signaling. Furthermore, we report here that HTLV-1 Tax protein interacts with RIP1 and inhibits IFN-β inducing signaling by abrogating RIP1 and IRF7 interaction. This implies that RIP1 is involved in the regulation of IRF7 and is essential for IFN-β production. Collectively, our data demonstrate the significance of RIP1 and FADD in dsRNA recognition pathways in mammalian cells that are essential for the optimal induction of type I IFNs and other innate genes important for host defense.

A significativa prevalência da infecção pelo HTLV-1/2 no Brasil tornou compulsória a triagem sorológica em bancos de sangue desde 1993. A realização de um diagnóstico eficaz e seguro desta infecção tem importância no correto aconselhamento dos pacientes, bem como na adoção de medidas preventivas em relação à transmissão do HTLV-1/2. Entretanto, a ineficiência dos testes confirmatórios disponíveis somado ao alto custo, são fatores limitantes para a conclusão segura do status clínico do paciente. O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver, padronizar e validar uma plataforma molecular (NAT) multiplex utilizando a metodologia de PCR em tempo real para o diagnóstico confirmatório e discriminatório da infecção pelo HTLV-1/2. Para tanto, foi padronizada a PCR em tempo real utilizando o sistema de sondas de hidrólise (TaqMan®) e a região gênica viral pol foi utilizada como alvo dessas reações. As reações foram otimizadas e validadas em amostras de DNA de controles positivos e negativos, amostras de DNA obtidas a partir do sangue total de indivíduos infectados pelo HTLV-1/2, candidatos à doação de sangue e de pacientes infectados por outras viroses (HIV, HBV e HCV). Após a padronização, a plataforma molecular foi validada em relação aos seguintes parâmetros: sensibilidade analítica, sensibilidade diagnóstica, especificidade analítica, especificidade diagnóstica, precisão e robustez. O limite de detecção do teste (LoD) foi de 3,85 cópias/reação para HTLV-1 e 10,88 cópias/reação para HTLV-2. Para a especificidade, não foi observada reação cruzada com os vírus HAV, HBV, HCV, HIV-1 e HIV-2 e B19V obtidos a partir de um painel de referência viral e nem com amostras de indivíduos portadores de HIV, HBV ou HCV. A sensibilidade diagnóstica foi de 94,6% para HTLV-1 e 78,6% para HTLV-2. O coeficiente de variação encontrado no parâmetro precisão foi de até 0,475%. A metodologia desenvolvida é uma ferramenta simples, de baixo custo, sensível e altamente específica, portanto, adequada para detecção e discriminação da infecção por este retrovírus. A padronização desta plataforma tem um importante impacto no fortalecimento da capacitação tecnológica nacional. Além disso, propõe seu uso no algoritmo diagnóstico, o qual permitirá a conclusão segura do diagnóstico do HTLV-1/2. / The significant prevalence of HTLV-1/2 infection in Brazil has turned the serological testing for this virus mandatory in national blood banks since 1993. The performance of efficient and safe diagnosis of this infection has importance on the correct counseling of the patients and the prevention of the transfusion/hemoderivatives transmitted HTLV-1/2 infection. However, the inefficiency of the available confirmatory tests combined with their high cost present limiting factors for adequate conclusions over the clinical status of the patient. A safe diagnosis of the HTLV-1/2 infection is of crucial importance for the correct counseling of the patients and prevention of the transmission of the infection by blood transfusions, breastfeeding and solid organ transplantations. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop, optimize and validate a molecular multiplex platform (NAT) utilizing the real-time PCR methodology for confirmatory and discriminatory diagnosis of the HTLV-1/2 infection. DNA samples obtained from HTLV-1/2 positive patients, blood donor candidates, and HIV, HBV and HCV infected patients were used in this study. The real-time PCR was optimized using the TaqMan® system (hydrolysis probes) and the pol gene was a target for real-time amplification. After optimization, the molecular platform was validated by analysis of the analytic and diagnostic sensitivity, analytic and diagnostic specificity, precision, and robustness. The detection limit (LoD) of the test was 3.85 copies/reaction for HTLV-1 and 10.88 copies/reaction for HTLV-2. Evaluation of the specificity did not demonstrate cross reaction with human viruses like HAV, HBV, HCV, HIV-1, HIV-2 and B19V obtained from a diagnostic panel and also with samples obtained from HIV, HBV or HCV positive individuals. The diagnostic sensitivity was 94.6% for HTLV-1 and 78.6% for HTLV-2. The estimated variation coefficient of the precision analysis was not more than 0.475%. Therefore, this methodology presents simple, inexpensive, sensitive and highly specific test, and can be used adequately for the detection and discrimination of this retroviral infection. The optimization of this molecular platform have important impact on the improvement of the technologic capability and it can be used for the definition of a national diagnostic algorithm which will permit a safe conclusion of the HTLV-1/2 diagnosis.

A significativa prevalência da infecção pelo HTLV-1/2 no Brasil tornou compulsória a triagem sorológica em bancos de sangue desde 1993. A realização de um diagnóstico eficaz e seguro desta infecção tem importância no correto aconselhamento dos pacientes, bem como na adoção de medidas preventivas em relação à transmissão do HTLV-1/2. Entretanto, a ineficiência dos testes confirmatórios disponíveis somado ao alto custo, são fatores limitantes para a conclusão segura do status clínico do paciente. O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver, padronizar e validar uma plataforma molecular (NAT) multiplex utilizando a metodologia de PCR em tempo real para o diagnóstico confirmatório e discriminatório da infecção pelo HTLV-1/2. Para tanto, foi padronizada a PCR em tempo real utilizando o sistema de sondas de hidrólise (TaqMan®) e a região gênica viral pol foi utilizada como alvo dessas reações. As reações foram otimizadas e validadas em amostras de DNA de controles positivos e negativos, amostras de DNA obtidas a partir do sangue total de indivíduos infectados pelo HTLV-1/2, candidatos à doação de sangue e de pacientes infectados por outras viroses (HIV, HBV e HCV). Após a padronização, a plataforma molecular foi validada em relação aos seguintes parâmetros: sensibilidade analítica, sensibilidade diagnóstica, especificidade analítica, especificidade diagnóstica, precisão e robustez. O limite de detecção do teste (LoD) foi de 3,85 cópias/reação para HTLV-1 e 10,88 cópias/reação para HTLV-2. Para a especificidade, não foi observada reação cruzada com os vírus HAV, HBV, HCV, HIV-1 e HIV-2 e B19V obtidos a partir de um painel de referência viral e nem com amostras de indivíduos portadores de HIV, HBV ou HCV. A sensibilidade diagnóstica foi de 94,6% para HTLV-1 e 78,6% para HTLV-2. O coeficiente de variação encontrado no parâmetro precisão foi de até 0,475%. A metodologia desenvolvida é uma ferramenta simples, de baixo custo, sensível e altamente específica, portanto, adequada para detecção e discriminação da infecção por este retrovírus. A padronização desta plataforma tem um importante impacto no fortalecimento da capacitação tecnológica nacional. Além disso, propõe seu uso no algoritmo diagnóstico, o qual permitirá a conclusão segura do diagnóstico do HTLV-1/2. / The significant prevalence of HTLV-1/2 infection in Brazil has turned the serological testing for this virus mandatory in national blood banks since 1993. The performance of efficient and safe diagnosis of this infection has importance on the correct counseling of the patients and the prevention of the transfusion/hemoderivatives transmitted HTLV-1/2 infection. However, the inefficiency of the available confirmatory tests combined with their high cost present limiting factors for adequate conclusions over the clinical status of the patient. A safe diagnosis of the HTLV-1/2 infection is of crucial importance for the correct counseling of the patients and prevention of the transmission of the infection by blood transfusions, breastfeeding and solid organ transplantations. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop, optimize and validate a molecular multiplex platform (NAT) utilizing the real-time PCR methodology for confirmatory and discriminatory diagnosis of the HTLV-1/2 infection. DNA samples obtained from HTLV-1/2 positive patients, blood donor candidates, and HIV, HBV and HCV infected patients were used in this study. The real-time PCR was optimized using the TaqMan® system (hydrolysis probes) and the pol gene was a target for real-time amplification. After optimization, the molecular platform was validated by analysis of the analytic and diagnostic sensitivity, analytic and diagnostic specificity, precision, and robustness. The detection limit (LoD) of the test was 3.85 copies/reaction for HTLV-1 and 10.88 copies/reaction for HTLV-2. Evaluation of the specificity did not demonstrate cross reaction with human viruses like HAV, HBV, HCV, HIV-1, HIV-2 and B19V obtained from a diagnostic panel and also with samples obtained from HIV, HBV or HCV positive individuals. The diagnostic sensitivity was 94.6% for HTLV-1 and 78.6% for HTLV-2. The estimated variation coefficient of the precision analysis was not more than 0.475%. Therefore, this methodology presents simple, inexpensive, sensitive and highly specific test, and can be used adequately for the detection and discrimination of this retroviral infection. The optimization of this molecular platform have important impact on the improvement of the technologic capability and it can be used for the definition of a national diagnostic algorithm which will permit a safe conclusion of the HTLV-1/2 diagnosis.

HTLV-1, un rétrovirus endémique des Antilles-Guyane qui infecte plus de 10 millions de personnes dans le monde, est l’agent étiologique de l’ATL, une leucémie agressive des lymphocytes T CD4+ résistante aux traitements conventionnels actuels. Le rôle émergent des miARN dans la leucémogénèse et la résistance aux chimiothérapies a soulevé des interrogations quant à leurs rôles dans le développement de l’ATL. Les miARN sont de petits ARN non codant qui régulent l’expression génique. Récemment leur altération durant le cycle de vie du HTLV-1 a été mise en lumière. Une des caractéristiques de l’émergence de l’ATL est la perte d’expression des protéines virales codées par le promoteur en amont du génome proviral (LTR5’), à l’exception d’hbz dont l’expression est initiée dans le promoteur en aval du génome proviral (LTR3’). Dans une première étude, nous démontrons, dans un modèle mimant la cellule ATL, qu’HBZ module sa propre transcription à travers une boucle de rétrocontrôle qui implique une coopération avec le facteur de transcription de la famille AP-1 JunD. Nous montrons que l’expression d’HBZ induit des caractéristiques phénotypiques de fibroblastes transformés. Nous avons, ensuite, analysé l’effet d’HBZ sur les miARN dans les cellules ATL et montré qu’il induit une diminution des miARN cellulaires via l’inhibition d’un acteur clé de la maturation, Dicer. En accord avec notre première étude, nous montrons que l’induction d’HBZ dans les CD4+ de patients ATL corrèle avec une augmentation de la charge provirale (CPV) et donc l’évolution de l’ATL. Le traitement de ces cellules au VPA inhibe l’expression d’hbz, restaure celle de dicer et inverse la CPV et donc la prolifération des cellules malignes ex vivo. / HTLV-1, a retrovirus endemic of Antilles-Guyana that infects more than 10 million people worldwide, is the etiological agent of ATL, an aggressive leukemia of CD4+ T lymphocytes resistant in currents treatments. The emerging role of miRNA in leukemogenesis and chemoresistance has risen questioning about their role in ATL development. MiRNAs are a class of non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. Involvement of their alteration in the HTLV-1 life cycle has recently come to light. One of the hallmarks of progression toward ATL is the emergence of LTR5’-deficient provirus and thereby eliminating the expression of all viral proteins on the sense strands in these cells, with the exception of the hbz gene regulated by an independent promoter in the 3’LTR. In a first study, using a provirus with the 5’LTR deleted, we found that HBZ modulates its own expression through a positive-feedback loop that involves cooperation with AP-1 transcription factor JunD. We also found that hbz-expressing fibroblasts displayed of a transformed phenotype. Then, we analyzed the effect of HBZ on miRNA expression in ATL patients and report that hbz reduce significantly expression of cellular miRNAs via inhibition of an enzyme essential for maturation, Dicer1. In agreement with our previous study, we show that hbz expression in ATL samples correlates with HTLV-1–provirus load (CPV) and consequently progression of the pathology. VPA treatment of these cells inhibits hbz expression, restores Dicer expression, and inverts the proviral charge thereby reducing cellular proliferation of malignant cells.