Recombinant non-structural 1 (NS1) protein of dengue-2 virus interacts with human STAT3β protein

A combination of yeast two-hybrid library screening, co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated that dengue-2 virus non-structural 1 (NS 1) protein can interact with an N-terminally truncated form of human STAT3 beta (Delta N40-STAT3 beta) protein. The NS1 protein interacted with the activated STAT3 beta protein in vesicle-like structures in the cell cytoplasm. In addition, transfection of dendritic cells with plasmid expressing NS I protein also resulted in significant induction of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Since the STAT3 beta protein is an acute-phase response factor, its interaction with NS 1 protein may influence the pathological changes observed in dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.