title: Escape of mutant double-stranded DNA virus from innate immune control.
abstract: As innate immune system components, natural killer (NK) cells respond rapidly to infections and effectively control replication of pathogens, including murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV), a double-stranded DNA beta-herpesvirus. In the absence of NK cell control, MCMV infection results in early mortality due to uncontrolled viral replication. However, here we show that even in the face of initial NK cell control, there is late recrudescence of disease and mortality in immunodeficient mice due to the outgrowth of MCMV mutants that escape recognition by innate NK cells. These data suggest that viral infections in certain clinical settings also may be due to viral escape from innate immunity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: French
authors.forename: Jeanette T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Pingel
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bubic
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Sungjin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Koszinowski
authors.forename: Stipan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jonjic
authors.forename: Wayne M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018146:Muromegalovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D016511:Severe Combined Immunodeficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015996:Survival Rate