Highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus induces prostaglandin E2 production through cyclooxygenase 1, which is dependent on the ERK1/2-p-C/EBP-β pathway.

UNLABELLED: Atypical porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) caused by highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (HP-PRRSV) is characterized by high fever and high mortality. However, the mechanism underlying the fever induction is still unknown. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), synthesized by cyclooxygenase type 1/2 (COX-1/2) enzymes, is essential for inducing fever. In this study, we found that PGE2, together with COX-1, was significantly elevated by HP-PRRSV. We subsequently demonstrated that extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK) were the key nodes to trigger COX-1 expression after HP-PRRSV infection. Furthermore, we proved the direct binding of p-C/EBP-β to the COX-1 promoter by luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. In addition, silencing of C/EBP-β remarkably impaired the enhancement of COX-1 production induced by HP-PRRSV infection. Taken together, our results indicate that HP-PPRSV elicits the expression of COX-1 through the ERK1/2-p-C/EBP-β signaling pathway, resulting in the increase of PGE2, which might be the cause of high fever in infected pigs. Our findings might provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of HP-PRRSV infection. IMPORTANCE: The atypical PRRS caused by HP-PRRSV was characterized by high fever, high morbidity, and high mortality in pigs of all ages, yet how HP-PRRSV induces high fever in pigs remains unknown. In the present study, we found out that HP-PRRSV infection could increase PGE2 production by upregulation of COX-1, and we subsequently characterized the underlying mechanisms about how HP-PRRSV enhances COX-1 production. PGE2 plays a critical role in inducing high temperature in hosts during pathogen infections. Thus, our findings here could help us have a better understanding of HP-PRRSV pathogenesis.