Neuroimmune Regulation of JC Virus by Intracellular and Extracellular Agnoprotein.

JC virus (JCV) is a human polyomavirus and the etiologic agent of the demyelinating disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). PML is observed in patients with underlying immunocompromising conditions, suggesting that neuro-immune interactions between peripheral immune cells and neuro-glia play an important role in controlling viral reactivation in the brain. There is little known about the immunobiology of JCV reactivation in glial cells and the role of immune, glial, and viral players in this regulation. We have previously showed that agnoprotein, a small JCV regulatory protein, is released from infected cells and internalized by neighboring bystander cells. Here we have investigated the possible role of extracellular and intracellular agnoprotein in the neuroimmune response to JC virus. Our findings suggest that glial cells exposed to agnoprotein secrete significantly less GM-CSF, which is mediated by agnoprotein induced suppression of GM-CSF transcription. Likewise, monocytes treated with agnoprotein showed altered differentiation and maturation. In addition, monocytes and microglial cells exposed to agnoprotein showed a significant reduction in their phagocytic activities. Moreover, when an in vitro blood-brain barrier model was used, agnoprotein treatment resulted in decreased monocyte migration through the endothelial cell layer in response to activated astrocytes. All together, these results have revealed a novel immunomodulatory function of agnoprotein during JCV infection within theCNS and open a new avenue of research to better understand the mechanisms associated with JCV reactivation in patients who are at risk of developing PML.