Dengue virus modulates critical cell cycle regulatory proteins in human megakaryocyte cells

Abstract Suppression of human megakaryocytes by dengue virus (DENV) infection significantly reduces the platelet count that eventually leads to thrombocytopenia, severe dengue and death. To understand DENV interactions with megakaryocytes, we investigated the cell cycle in leukemic human megakaryocy...

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Main Authors: Swarnendu Basak, Shovan Dutta, Supreet Khanal, Girish Neelakanta, Hameeda Sultana
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02640-5
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author Swarnendu Basak
Shovan Dutta
Supreet Khanal
Girish Neelakanta
Hameeda Sultana
author_facet Swarnendu Basak
Shovan Dutta
Supreet Khanal
Girish Neelakanta
Hameeda Sultana
author_sort Swarnendu Basak
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Suppression of human megakaryocytes by dengue virus (DENV) infection significantly reduces the platelet count that eventually leads to thrombocytopenia, severe dengue and death. To understand DENV interactions with megakaryocytes, we investigated the cell cycle in leukemic human megakaryocytic in vitro cell line (MEG-01 cells). Megakaryocytes are known for complex endomitotic cell cycle leading to their polyploidy state. Our study shows that DENV uses these polyploid cells for its replication. Understanding the modulation of DENV-mediated cell cycle regulation in megakaryocytes is therefore highly important. We show that DENV2 (serotype 2) infection significantly modulates cell cycle signaling. Our protein profile microarray data showed significant upregulation of several cell cycle regulatory proteins including CDK4, CDK1, Cyclin B1 and others or downregulation of Chk1, GSK3-beta, CUL-3, and E2F-3. Quantitative real-time PCR and immunoblotting analyses further confirmed the upregulation of CDK4, CDK1, and Cyclin B1 upon DENV2 infection. Gene silencing of CDK4, CDK1 and Cyclin B1 showed significant reduction in DENV2 loads. Immunoprecipitation analysis further revealed an enhanced interaction between Cyclin B1 and CDK1 upon DENV2 infection that perhaps suggest the substantial changes noted in cell cycle regulation. Overall, our study suggests that DENV2 modulates cell cycle signaling in megakaryocytes and interferes with the critical regulatory proteins that may eventually lead to changes in endomitosis process. In conclusion, we report an important molecular insight regarding DENV2-mediated cell cycle modulation in human megakaryocytes.
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spelling doaj-art-8e28e4c86140481fbea3ae36e6a1446b2025-08-20T04:02:45ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111510.1038/s41598-025-02640-5Dengue virus modulates critical cell cycle regulatory proteins in human megakaryocyte cellsSwarnendu Basak0Shovan Dutta1Supreet Khanal2Girish Neelakanta3Hameeda Sultana4Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of TennesseeDepartment of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion UniversityDepartment of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of TennesseeDepartment of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of TennesseeAbstract Suppression of human megakaryocytes by dengue virus (DENV) infection significantly reduces the platelet count that eventually leads to thrombocytopenia, severe dengue and death. To understand DENV interactions with megakaryocytes, we investigated the cell cycle in leukemic human megakaryocytic in vitro cell line (MEG-01 cells). Megakaryocytes are known for complex endomitotic cell cycle leading to their polyploidy state. Our study shows that DENV uses these polyploid cells for its replication. Understanding the modulation of DENV-mediated cell cycle regulation in megakaryocytes is therefore highly important. We show that DENV2 (serotype 2) infection significantly modulates cell cycle signaling. Our protein profile microarray data showed significant upregulation of several cell cycle regulatory proteins including CDK4, CDK1, Cyclin B1 and others or downregulation of Chk1, GSK3-beta, CUL-3, and E2F-3. Quantitative real-time PCR and immunoblotting analyses further confirmed the upregulation of CDK4, CDK1, and Cyclin B1 upon DENV2 infection. Gene silencing of CDK4, CDK1 and Cyclin B1 showed significant reduction in DENV2 loads. Immunoprecipitation analysis further revealed an enhanced interaction between Cyclin B1 and CDK1 upon DENV2 infection that perhaps suggest the substantial changes noted in cell cycle regulation. Overall, our study suggests that DENV2 modulates cell cycle signaling in megakaryocytes and interferes with the critical regulatory proteins that may eventually lead to changes in endomitosis process. In conclusion, we report an important molecular insight regarding DENV2-mediated cell cycle modulation in human megakaryocytes.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02640-5DengueCell cycleMegakaryocytesCDK4CDK1Cyclin B1
spellingShingle Swarnendu Basak
Shovan Dutta
Supreet Khanal
Girish Neelakanta
Hameeda Sultana
Dengue virus modulates critical cell cycle regulatory proteins in human megakaryocyte cells
Scientific Reports
Dengue
Cell cycle
Megakaryocytes
CDK4
CDK1
Cyclin B1
title Dengue virus modulates critical cell cycle regulatory proteins in human megakaryocyte cells
title_full Dengue virus modulates critical cell cycle regulatory proteins in human megakaryocyte cells
title_fullStr Dengue virus modulates critical cell cycle regulatory proteins in human megakaryocyte cells
title_full_unstemmed Dengue virus modulates critical cell cycle regulatory proteins in human megakaryocyte cells
title_short Dengue virus modulates critical cell cycle regulatory proteins in human megakaryocyte cells
title_sort dengue virus modulates critical cell cycle regulatory proteins in human megakaryocyte cells
topic Dengue
Cell cycle
Megakaryocytes
CDK4
CDK1
Cyclin B1
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02640-5
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