Cytopathic Effects of the Cytomegalovirus-Encoded Apoptosis Inhibitory Protein vMIA

• Published in: Cell biology international Vol. 174; no. 7; pp. 985 - 996
• Main Authors: Poncet, Delphine, Anne-Laure Pauleau, Szabadkai, Gyorgy, Angelo Vozza, Sebastian R. Scholz, Morgane Le Bras, Jean-Jacques Brière, Jalil, Abdelali, Ronan Le Moigne, Brenner, Catherine, Hahn, Gabriele, Ilka Wittig, Hermann Schägger, Lemaire, Christophe, Katiuscia Bianchi, Sylvie Souquère, Pierron, Gerard, Rustin, Pierre, Goldmacher, Victor S., Rizzuto, Rosario, Palmieri, Ferdinando, Kroemer, Guido
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Rockefeller University Press 25-09-2006; Wiley; The Rockefeller University Press
• Subjects: Actins; Actins - metabolism; Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism; Animals; Antigens; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; bcl-2-Associated X Protein - antagonists & inhibitors; bcl-2-Associated X Protein - genetics; Biochemistry; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology; Cell culture techniques; Cellular biology; Cytomegalovirus; Cytomegalovirus - genetics; Cytomegalovirus - physiology; Cytomegalovirus Infections - metabolism; Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Fibroblasts - drug effects; Fibroblasts - pathology; Fibroblasts - virology; HeLa Cells; Human cytomegalovirus; Humans; Immediate-Early Proteins - genetics; Immediate-Early Proteins - physiology; Immediate-Early Proteins - toxicity; Insect vectors; Life Sciences; Mice; Microfilaments; Mitochondria; Mitochondria - metabolism; Mitochondrial Proteins - genetics; Mitochondrial Proteins - metabolism; NIH 3T3 Cells; Oxidative Phosphorylation - drug effects; Phosphate transport proteins; Polymers - metabolism; Proteins; Viral Proteins - genetics; Viral Proteins - physiology; Viral Proteins - toxicity; Viruses
• ISSN: 0021-9525; 1065-6995; 1540-8140; 1095-8355
• DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200604069

Replication of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) requires the expression of the viral mitochondria-localized inhibitor of apoptosis (vMIA). vMIA inhibits apoptosis by recruiting Bax to mitochondria, resulting in its neutralization. We show that vMIA decreases cell size, reduces actin polymerization, and induces cell rounding. As compared with vMIA-expressing CMV, vMIA-deficient CMV, which replicates in fibroblasts expressing the adenoviral apoptosis suppressor E1B19K, induces less cytopathic effects. These vMIA effects can be separated from its cell death-inhibitory function because vMIA modulates cellular morphology in Bax-deficient cells. Expression of vMIA coincided with a reduction in the cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level. vMIA selectively inhibited one component of the ATP synthasome, namely, the mitochondrial phosphate carrier. Exposure of cells to inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation produced similar effects, such as an ATP level reduced by 30%, smaller cell size, and deficient actin polymerization. Similarly, knockdown of the phosphate carrier reduced cell size. Our data suggest that the cytopathic effect of CMV can be explained by vMIA effects on mitochondrial bioenergetics.