Pfizer Global Research & Development, Antivirals Research Unit (IPC424), Sandwich Laboratories, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9NJ, UK.
J Virol Methods. 2010 May;165(2):202-10. doi: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2010.01.020. Epub 2010 Feb 2.
Cyclosporine A (CsA) is an immunosuppressive molecule that also impedes replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV). CsA inhibits isomerase activity of cellular-encoded cyclophilin proteins, of which cyclophilin A (CypA) in particular is required for HCV replication. Evidence suggests that the HCV-encoded NS5A and NS5B proteins may govern dependence of the virus on CypA-mediated isomerase activity, although the molecular mechanisms involved are unclear. However, association of NS5A and NS5B, with CypA has been reported, raising the possibility that direct interaction between these proteins facilitates HCV replication. In the present study, mammalian two-hybrid and AlphaLISA technologies were utilized to detect interactions between NS5A and NS5B, with CypA. AlphaLISA analysis revealed associations between NS5A and CypA using purified proteins, and in cell lysates prepared from co-transfected cells. Importantly, the NS5A-CypA interactions were sensitive to CsA in a dose-responsive manner and an isomerase mutant of CypA interacted with NS5A less efficiently than wild-type CypA. These findings correlate the anti-HCV properties of CsA with an ability of the compound to disrupt NS5A-CypA interactions in vitro and in vivo, whilst providing the basis for development of assay platforms suitable to screen compound libraries for novel inhibitors of the NS5A-CypA interaction.
环孢素 A(CsA)是一种免疫抑制剂,也能抑制丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)的复制。CsA 抑制细胞编码的亲环素蛋白的异构酶活性,其中亲环素 A(CypA)特别需要 HCV 复制。有证据表明,HCV 编码的 NS5A 和 NS5B 蛋白可能控制病毒对 CypA 介导的异构酶活性的依赖性,尽管涉及的分子机制尚不清楚。然而,已经报道了 NS5A 和 NS5B 与 CypA 的关联,这增加了这些蛋白之间直接相互作用促进 HCV 复制的可能性。在本研究中,利用哺乳动物双杂交和 AlphaLISA 技术检测 NS5A 与 CypA 之间的相互作用。AlphaLISA 分析显示,使用纯化蛋白和共转染细胞的细胞裂解物,NS5A 与 CypA 之间存在关联。重要的是,NS5A-CypA 相互作用对 CsA 呈剂量反应性敏感,并且 CypA 的异构酶突变体与 NS5A 的相互作用效率低于野生型 CypA。这些发现将 CsA 的抗 HCV 特性与该化合物在体外和体内破坏 NS5A-CypA 相互作用的能力相关联,同时为开发适合筛选化合物库中新型 NS5A-CypA 相互作用抑制剂的测定平台提供了基础。