Human Macrophages Escape Inhibition of Major Histocompatibility Complex-Dependent Antigen Presentation by Cytomegalovirus and Drive Proliferation and Activation of Memory CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T Cells.

ABSTRACT: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) persistently infects 40-90% of the human population but in the face of a normal immune system, viral spread and dissemination are efficiently controlled thus preventing clinically signs and disease. HCMV-infected hosts produce a remarkably large amount of HCMV-specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells that can even reach 20-50% of total T memory cells in the elderly. How HCMV may elicit such large and long-lasting T-cell responses in the absence of detectable viremia has not been elucidated yet. Additionally, HCMV is known to encode several gene products that potently inhibit T-cell recognition of infected cells. The best characterized are the four immune evasive US2, US3, US6, and US11 genes that by different mechanisms account for major histocompat

SUBMITTER: Frascaroli G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5981096 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature