Examining the expression of Guanylate binding protein 1 during respiratory syncytial virus infection in permissible cell types

• Main Author: Tan, Jevon Shin Yong
• Other Authors: Richard J Sugrue
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2022
• Subjects: Science::Biological sciences::Microbiology::Virology
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/157333
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Genetic studies have shown Guanylate binding protein (GBP-1) to be highly upregulated very early on in Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infection. However, molecular events that demonstrate the role of GBP-1 in viral progression and its involvement in the host anti-viral signalling responses still remains unclear. In this study, GBP-1 protein expression and its cellular interactions with host cell cytoskeleton and viral proteins were explored. To better understand these molecular events, GBP-1 protein activity was tracked in human cell lines (HAE, A549 and HEp2). Upregulation of GBP-1 was observed in HAE cells at 3dpi and 5dpi, and at 18hpi in A549 and Hep2 cells, thereby validating findings in previous microarray data. Viral infection induced a widespread signalling response of GBP-1, with expression in both infected and non-infected cells. Notably, expression of GBP-1 revealed a ‘punctae-like’ staining pattern in infected cells and demonstrated moderate levels of interaction with F-actin. However, GBP-1 did not seem to have a direct association with viral filaments, and hence its role in viral replication is still in question. Overall, these findings confirm GBP-1 signalling and upregulation on a protein level, which opens up the possibility of significance studies in animal models.