Monkeypox virus protein H3L induces injuries in human and mouse

Monkeypox virus (MPV) is known to inflict injuries and, in some cases, lead to fatalities in humans. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for its pathogenicity remain poorly understood. We investigated functions of MPV core proteins, H3L, A35R, A29L, and I1L, and discovered that H3L induced transcriptional perturbations and injuries. We substantiated that H3L upregulated IL1A expression. IL1A, in consequence, caused cellular injuries, and this detrimental effect was mitigated when countered with IL1A blockage. We also observed that H3L significantly perturbed the transcriptions of genes in cardiac system. Mechanistically, H3L occupied the promoters of genes governing cellular injury, leading to alterations in the binding patterns of H3K27me3 and H3K4me3 histone marks, ultimately resulting in expression perturbations. In vivo and in vitro models confirmed that H3L induced transcriptional disturbances and cardiac dysfunction, which were ameliorated when IL1A was blocked or repressed. Our study provides valuable insights into comprehensive understanding of MPV pathogenicity, highlights the significant roles of H3L in inducing injuries, and potentially paves the way for the development of therapeutic strategies targeting IL1A.