Nonstructural Protein 4 of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Modulates Cell Surface Swine Leukocyte Antigen Class I Expression by Downregulating β2-Microglobulin Transcription.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is the causative agent of PRRS, which has important impacts on the pig industry. PRRSV infection results in disruption of the swine leukocyte antigen class I (SLA-I) antigen presentation pathway. In this study, highly pathogenic PRRSV (HP-PRRSV) infection inhibited transcription of the beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2M) gene (B2M) and reduced cellular levels of beta 2M, which forms a heterotrimeric complex with the SLA-I heavy chain and a variable peptide and plays a critical role in SLA-I antigen presentation. HPPRRSV nonstructural protein 4 (Nsp4) was involved in the downregulation of beta 2M expression. Exogenous expression of Nsp4 downregulated beta 2M expression at both the mRNA and the protein level and reduced SLA-I expression on the cell surface. Nsp4 bound to the porcine B2M promoter and inhibited its transcriptional activity. Domain III of Nsp4 and the enhancer PAM element of the porcine B2M promoter were identified as essential for the interaction between Nsp4 and B2M. These findings demonstrate a novel mechanism whereby HP-PRRSV may modulate the SLA-I antigen presentation pathway and provide new insights into the functions of HP-PRRSV Nsp4. IMPORTANCE PRRSV modulates the host response by disrupting the SLA-I antigen presentation pathway. We show that HP-PRRSV downregulates SLA-I expression on the cell surface via transcriptional inhibition of B2M expression by viral Nsp4. The interaction between domain III of Nsp4 and the enhancer PAM element of the porcine B2M promoter is essential for inhibiting B2M transcription. These observations reveal a novel mechanism whereby HP-PRRSV may modulate SLA-I antigen presentation and provide new insights into the functions of viral Nsp4.