Effect of brincidofovir on adenovirus and A549 cells transcriptome profiles.

OBJECTIVES:Human adenovirus (HAdV) infections are associated with a high morbidity and mortality in transplant patients requiring the use of antiviral treatments. Brincidofovir (BCV), a cytidine analog, inhibits HAdV replication through viral DNA elongation termination and likely through other mechanisms. To elucidate if BCV regulates cellular antiviral pathways, we analyzed its impact on HAdV-infected and non-HAdV-infected lung epithelial cells. METHODS:We assessed the cellular and viral transcriptome of A549 cells infected and non-infected with HAdV C5 and treated or non-treated with BCV by RNAseq after 72 h. RESULTS:BCV treatment of HAdV infected cells resulted in a profound decrease of viral transcription associated with a relative overexpression of the early genes E1A and E4 and of the late gene L1. BCV had also a profound impact on A549 cells' transcriptome. Ontologic analysis revealed an effect of BCV on several pathways known to interact with adenovirus replication as mTor signalling and Wnt pathways. A549 cells treated with BCV demonstrated a significant inhibition of the biological function of "viral replication" including 25 dysregulated genes involved in inflammation pathways. CONCLUSION:We demonstrated that BCV alters viral gene expression and promotes the expression of antiviral cellular pathways in A549 cells. These results provide new insights how to interfere with cellular pathways to control HAdV infections.