Study of the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway by the motif of σA and σNS proteins of avian reovirus

The present study was conducted to determine whether avian reovirus (ARV) activates the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent Akt (PI3K/Akt) pathway according to the PXXP or YXXXM motifs of σA and σNS proteins. Gene splicing by overlap extension PCR was used to change the PXXP or YXXXM motifs of the σA and σNS genes. Plasmid constructs that contain mutant σA and σNS genes were generated and transfected into Vero cells, and the expression levels of the corresponding genes were quantified according to immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses. The Akt phosphorylation (P-Akt) profile of the transfected Vero cells was examined by flow cytometry and Western blot. The results showed that the σA and σNS genes were expressed in the Vero cells, and P-Akt expression in the σA mutant groups (amino acids 110–114 and 114–117) was markedly decreased. The results indicated that the σA protein of ARV activates the PI3K/Akt pathway via the PXXP motif. The results of this study reveal the mechanisms by which ARV manipulates the cellular signal transduction pathways, which may provide new ideas for novel drug targets.