1. Monocyte apoptotic bodies are vehicles for influenza A virus propagation.
- Author
-
Atkin-Smith GK, Duan M, Zanker DJ, Loh L, Nguyen THO, Koutsakos M, Nguyen T, Jiang X, Carrera J, Phan TK, Liu C, Paone S, Oveissi S, Hodge AL, Baxter AA, Kedzierska K, Mackenzie JM, Hulett MD, Bilsel P, Chen W, and Poon IKH
- Subjects
- Antiviral Agents pharmacology, Haloperidol pharmacology, Influenza A virus drug effects, Extracellular Vesicles virology, Influenza A virus physiology, Monocytes virology
- Abstract
The disassembly of apoptotic cells into small membrane-bound vesicles termed apoptotic bodies (ApoBDs) is a hallmark of apoptosis; however, the functional significance of this process is not well defined. We recently discovered a new membrane protrusion (termed beaded apoptopodia) generated by apoptotic monocytes which fragments to release an abundance of ApoBDs. To investigate the function of apoptotic monocyte disassembly, we used influenza A virus (IAV) infection as a proof-of-concept model, as IAV commonly infects monocytes in physiological settings. We show that ApoBDs generated from IAV-infected monocytes contained IAV mRNA, protein and virions and consequently, could facilitate viral propagation in vitro and in vivo, and induce a robust antiviral immune response. We also identified an antipsychotic, Haloperidol, as an unexpected inhibitor of monocyte cell disassembly which could impair ApoBD-mediated viral propagation under in vitro conditions. Together, this study reveals a previously unrecognised function of apoptotic monocyte disassembly in the pathogenesis of IAV infections.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF