title: Thymosin alpha1 activates the TLR9/MyD88/IRF7-dependent murine cytomegalovirus sensing for induction of anti-viral responses in vivo.
abstract: Reactivation of latent human cytomegalovirus following allogeneic transplantation is a major cause of morbidity and mortality and predisposes to severe complications. Thymosin alpha1 (Talpha1), a naturally occurring thymic peptide, is approved for treatment of some viral infections and as an immune adjuvant. Talpha1 successfully primed dendritic cells (DCs) for anti-microbial T helper type 1 resistance through Toll-like receptor (TLR) 9 signaling. We sought to determine here whether Talpha1 could play a role in murine cytomegalovirus infection (MCMV). To this purpose, susceptible, resistant and TLR-deficient mice were infected with MCMV, treated with Talpha1 and assessed for protection in term of microbiological and immunological parameters. Talpha1 protected susceptible and resistant mice from MCMV infection. The anti-viral effect of Talpha1 occurred through the activation of plasmacytoid DCs via the TLR9/myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88-dependent viral recognition sensing, leading to the activation of IFN regulatory factor 7 and the promotion of the IFN-alpha/IFN-gamma-dependent effector pathway.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Section, Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, 06122 Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bozza
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gaziano
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bonifazi
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zelante
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pitzurra
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montagnoli
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castronari
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sinibaldi
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rasi
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garaci
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bistoni
authors.forename: Luigina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D050839:Interferon Regulatory Factor-7 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007372:Interferons / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D018146:Muromegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000077596:Thymalfasin; D013947:Thymosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism