Herpes simplex virus 1 protein kinase US3 hyperphosphorylates p65/RelA and dampens NF-κB activation

Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) plays important roles in innate immune responses by regulating the expression of a large number of target genes involved in the immune and inflammatory response, apoptosis, cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. To survive in the host cells, viruses have evolved multiple strategies to evade and subvert the host immune response. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) bears a large DNA genome, with the capacity to encode many different viral proteins to counteract the host immune responses. In the present study, we demonstrated that HSV-1 protein kinase US3 significantly inhibited NF-κB activation and decreased the expression of inflammatory chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8). US3 was also shown to hyperphosphorylate p65 at serine 75 and block its nuclear translocation. Two US3 mutants, K220M and D305A, still interacted with p65; however, they could not hyperphosphorylate p65, indicating that the kinase activity of US3 was indispensable for the function. The attenuation of NF-κB activation by HSV-1 US3 protein kinase may represent a critical adaptation to enable virus persistence within the host. Importance: This study demonstrated that HSV-1 protein kinase US3 significantly inhibited NF-κB activation and decreased the expression of inflammatory chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8). US3 hyperphosphorylated p65 at serine 75 to inhibit NF-κB activation. The kinase activity of US3 was indispensable for its hyperphosphorylation of p65 and abrogation of the nuclear translocation of p65. The present study elaborated a novel mechanism of HSV-1 US3 to evade the host innate immunity.