Targeting Metabolic Reprogramming by Influenza Infection for Therapeutic Intervention

Publication date: 23 May 2017
Source:Cell Reports, Volume 19, Issue 8
Author(s): Heather S. Smallwood, Susu Duan, Marie Morfouace, Svetlana Rezinciuc, Barry L. Shulkin, Anang Shelat, Erika E. Zink, Sandra Milasta, Resha Bajracharya, Ajayi J. Oluwaseum, Martine F. Roussel, Douglas R. Green, Ljiljana Pasa-Tolic, Paul G. Thomas
Influenza is a worldwide health and financial burden posing a significant risk to the immune-compromised, obese, diabetic, elderly, and pediatric populations. We identified increases in glucose metabolism in the lungs of pediatric patients infected with respiratory pathogens. Using quantitative mass spectrometry, we found metabolic changes occurring after influenza infection in primary human respiratory cells and validated infection-associated increases in c-Myc, glycolysis, and glutaminolysis. We confirmed these findings with a metabolic drug screen that identified the PI3K/mTOR inhibitor BEZ235 as a regulator of infectious virus production. BEZ235 treatment ablated the transient induction of c-Myc, restored PI3K/mTOR pathway homeostasis measured by 4E-BP1 and p85 phosphorylation, and reversed infection-induced changes in metabolism. Importantly, BEZ235 reduced infectious progeny but had no effect on the early stages of viral replication. BEZ235 significantly increased survival in mice, while reducing viral titer. We show metabolic reprogramming of host cells by influenza virus exposes targets for therapeutic intervention.

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Teaser

Influenza infection is a significant burden on public health, with increased morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients, as well as diabetic, obese, and elderly populations. Smallwood et al. define the metabolic response in infected humans and primary human respiratory cells ex vivo and use this information for targeted drug discovery.


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