Human cytomegalovirus hyperimmune globulin not only neutralizes HCMV infectivity, but also inhibits HCMV-induced intracellular NF-κB, Sp1, and PI3-K signaling pathways

Inhibition of virus-induced intracellular signaling pathways and viral infectivity are our ultimate goals in the development of effective antiviral agents to control human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infections. The HCMV hyperimmune globulin may meet such criteria. In a human embryonic lung (HEL) fibroblast culture model, pretreatment of Towne strain HCMV with HCMV hyperimmune globulin was shown to inhibit viral infectivity successfully, as measured by a standard plaque assay. The extracellular viral titers and extracellular viral DNA, as measured by plaque assay and PCR, respectively, were also decreased. In addition, the HCMV hyperimmune globulin prevented HCMV from inducing the intracellular activation of NF-kappaB, Sp-1, and P13-K signaling pathways. The P13-K pathway was examined by following phosphorylation (activation) of two of its downstream kinases, Akt and p70S6K. HCMV hyperimmune globulin also prevented the production of immediate early, early, and late viral proteins. These studies show that HCMV hyperimmune globulin neutralization of HCMV prevents the earliest known events observed after viral envelope glycoproteins bind their cell membrane receptors, i.e., NF-kappaB Sp-1 and P13-K activation. This suggests that HCMV hyperimmune globulin not only can inhibit viral infectivity, but can also prevent the abnormal cellular signaling that may induce unwanted cellular proliferation or cytokine synthesis. (C) 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.