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Infection and Immunity, June 2001, p. 4065-4071, Vol. 69, No. 6
0019-9567/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/IAI.69.6.4065-4071.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Trichinella spiralis-Infected Muscle Cells: Abundant RNA Polymerase II in Nuclear Speckle Domains Colocalizes with Nuclear Antigens

Chaoqun Yao1 and Douglas P. Jasmer2,*

Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-7040,2 and Department of Internal Medicine and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 522421

Received 30 October 2000/Returned for modification 8 December 2000/Accepted 7 March 2001

Infection of mammalian skeletal muscle cells by Trichinella spiralis causes host nuclei to become polyploid (ca. 4N) and abnormally enlarged. It has been postulated that this enlargement reflects an infection-induced elevation of host transcription. Anthelmintic treatment of T. spiralis-infected rodents with mebendazole (MBZ) causes a reduction in the size of infected cell nuclei and a significant reduction in the total RNA content of individual infected muscle cells. A monoclonal antibody to the large subunit of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) was used here to assess the effects of infection on Pol II levels in isolated infected cell nuclei. Pol II was localized to speckle domains in isolated infected cell nuclei. Similar domains have been previously localized to sites of RNA synthesis or processing. When compared to the levels in nuclei from other, uninfected host cells, speckle-localized Pol II (SL-Pol II) levels were significantly elevated in infected cell nuclei by a mean of 3.9- to 6.8-fold. Nuclear antigens (NA) recognized by antibodies against T. spiralis localized to infected cell nuclei. By use of confocal microscopy, a subpopulation of NA was found colocalized with most speckle domains defined by Pol II. MBZ treatment of chronically infected mice, which depletes NA from infected cell nuclei, caused a significant depletion of SL-Pol II from infected cell nuclei. Control nuclei had a mean of 70% more SL-Pol II than MBZ-treated nuclei. The mean residual level of Pol II in these polyploid nuclei remained elevated by 120% over the level in 2N control nuclei. These observations may indicate two distinct effects of infection on Pol II levels in host cells.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, P.O. Box 647040, Pullman, WA 99164-7040. Phone: (509) 335-6040. Fax: (509) 335-8529. E-mail: djasmer{at}vetmed.wsu.edu.

Infection and Immunity, June 2001, p. 4065-4071, Vol. 69, No. 6
0019-9567/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/IAI.69.6.4065-4071.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.




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