A chemokine-binding domain in the tumor necrosis factor receptor from variola (smallpox) virus.
Variola virus (VaV) is the causative agent of smallpox, one of the most devastating diseases encountered by man, that was eradicated in 1980. The deliberate release of VaV would have catastrophic consequences on global public health. However, the mechanisms that contribute to smallpox pathogenesis are poorly understood at the molecular level. The ability of viruses to evade the host defense mechanisms is an important determinant of viral pathogenesis. Here we show that the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) homologue CrmB encoded by VaV functions not only as a soluble decoy TNFR but also as a highly specific binding protein for several chemokines that mediate recruitment of immune cells to mucosal surfaces and the skin, sites of virus entry and viral replication at late stages of smallpox. CrmB binds chemokines through its C-terminal domain, which is unrelated to TNFRs, was named smallpox virus-encoded chemokine receptor (SECRET) domain and uncovers a family of poxvirus chemokine inhibitors. An active SECRET domain was found in another viral TNFR (CrmD) and three secreted proteins encoded by orthopoxviruses. These findings identify a previously undescribed chemokine-binding and inhibitory domain unrelated to host chemokine receptors and a mechanism of immune modulation in VaV that may influence smallpox pathogenesis.
Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, United Kingdom.
Alí
A
Alejo
M Begoña
MB
Ruiz-Argüello
Yin
Y
Ho
Vincent P
VP
Smith
Margarida
M
Saraiva
Antonio
A
Alcami
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D018925:Chemokines / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011634:Public Health; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012899:Smallpox / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D012901:Variola virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014764:Viral Proteins; C089458:crmB protein, Orthopoxvirus