title: How the virus outsmarts the host: function and structure of cytomegalovirus MHC-I-like molecules in the evasion of natural killer cell surveillance.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells provide an initial host immune response to infection by many viral pathogens. Consequently, the viruses have evolved mechanisms to attenuate the host response, leading to improved viral fitness. One mechanism employed by members of the β-herpesvirus family, which includes the cytomegaloviruses, is to modulate the expression of cell surface ligands recognized by NK cell activation molecules. A novel set of cytomegalovirus (CMV) genes, exemplified by the mouse m145 family, encode molecules that have structural and functional features similar to those of host major histocompatibility-encoded (MHC) class I molecules, some of which are known to contribute to immune evasion. In this review, we explore the function, structure, and evolution of MHC-I-like molecules of the CMVs and speculate on the dynamic development of novel immunoevasive functions based on the MHC-I protein fold.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Immunology, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1892, USA.
authors.forename: Maria Jamela
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Revilleza
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mans
authors.forename: Manqing
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Kannan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Natarajan
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Margulies
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D057131:Immune Evasion; D007157:Immunologic Surveillance; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell / Q000276:immunology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell; D014764:Viral Proteins