title: Cutting edge: a novel viral TNF receptor superfamily member in virulent strains of human cytomegalovirus.
abstract: The UL144 open reading frame found in clinical isolates of human CMV (HCMV) encodes a structural homologue of the herpesvirus entry mediator, a member of the TNFR superfamily. UL144 is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein that is expressed early after infection of fibroblasts; however, it is retained intracellularly. A YXXZ motif in the highly conserved cytoplasmic tail contributes to UL144 subcellular distribution. The finding that no known ligand of the TNF family binds UL144 suggests that its mechanism of action is distinct from other known viral immune evasion genes. Specific Abs to UL144 can be detected in the serum of a subset of HCMV seropositive individuals infected with HIV. This work establishes a novel molecular link between the TNF superfamily and herpesvirus that may contribute to the ability of HCMV to escape immune clearance.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Immunology, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Benedict
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Butrovich
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Lurain
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Corbeil
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rooney
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tschopp
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Ware
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002460:Cell Line; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D053240:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000737:chemistry; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D014774:Virulence / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D053240:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14; D011991:Receptors, Virus; C506028:TNFRSF14 protein, human; C119624:UL144 ORF protein, Human herpesvirus 5; D014764:Viral Proteins