The putative natural killer decoy early gene m04 (gp34) of murine cytomegalovirus encodes an antigenic peptide recognized by protective antiviral CD8 T cells.

ABSTRACT: Several early genes of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) encode proteins that mediate immune evasion by interference with the major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) pathway of antigen presentation to cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL). Specifically, the m152 gene product gp37/40 causes retention of MHC-I molecules in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-Golgi intermediate compartment. Lack of MHC-I on the cell surface should activate natural killer (NK) cells recognizing the "missing self." The retention, however, is counteracted by the m04 early gene product gp34, which binds to folded MHC-I molecules in the ER and directs the complex to the cell surface. It was thus speculated that gp34 might serve to silence NK cells and thereby complete the immune evasion of MCMV. In light of these current

SUBMITTER: Holtappels R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC111665 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature