Summary.
Increased gelatinolytic activity was observed in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-infected HEp-2 cells by using zymography. The anti-matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) antibody specifically reduced the gelatinolytic activity suggesting that the increased gelatinolytic activity was due to the MMP-9. It was also supported by the results from immunofluorescent staining, treatment of MMP inhibitors, and RSV infection of the cell clones that were transfected with plasmids to express more MMP-9 and tissue type inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1). The gelatinolytic activity of extracellular MMP-9 in RSV-infected HEp-2 cells increased 1.5 ± 0.2 fold compared with the control (p < 0.01). Cell surface MMP-9 expression was also clearly detected by immunofluorescent staining. Treatment with 1,10-phenanthroline (0.05 mM), ethylenediamine-tetraacetate (EDTA) (1.5 mM), and penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose (PGG) (3.3 µM) inhibited RSV multiplication as well as syncytia formation. Furthermore, the average syncytia size increased when the cells expressing more MMP-9 were infected by RSV. In contrast, syncytia formation was inhibited in the cells manipulated to express TIMP-1. Thus, this study concludes that although RSV infection induces MMP-9, which can enhance the syncytia formation leading to RSV multiplication and spread it can be inhibited by MMP inhibitors.
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Received June 21, 2001 Accepted November 2, 2001
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Yeo, SJ., Yun, YJ., Lyu, MA. et al. Respiratory syncytial virus infection induces matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in epithelial cells. Arch. Virol. 147, 229–242 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s705-002-8316-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s705-002-8316-1