title: UL74 of human cytomegalovirus reduces the inhibitory effect of gH-specific and gB-specific antibodies.
abstract: The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) glycoproteins gH (UL75) and gL (UL115) can form complexes with gO (UL74) or with proteins of the UL128-UL131A locus. Deletion of gO abolishes cell-free virus transmission and renders cell-associated virus transmission in fibroblasts more sensitive to inhibition by human anti-HCMV serum. To test whether the latter effect is specific for gO, we compared mutants with deletions in UL74, UL99 and the UL128-131A locus regarding their sensitivity to anti-HCMV antibodies. UL74 deletion mutants were more sensitive to a further restriction by polyspecific or gH-specific antibodies than control mutants, showing that gO specifically protects focal growth against inhibitory antibodies. This effect was not confined to gH-specific antibodies, as UL74 deletion mutants were also inhibited by an anti-gB antibody. In conclusion, gO specifically promotes focal spread in the presence of gH and gB antibodies, thus contributing to the ability of HCMV to resist the host's immune response.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Virologie, Universitätsklinikum, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Xiao Jing
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Kerstin Laib
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Sampaio
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ettischer
authors.forename: York-Dieter
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Stierhof
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jahn
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kropff
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mach
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sinzger
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D022202:Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000821:virology; D005814:Genes, Viral; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C040495:glycoprotein B, Simplexvirus; C071440:glycoprotein H, Cytomegalovirus; C439068:glycoprotein O, cytomegalovirus