title: Viral immune evasion: Lessons in MHC class I antigen presentation.
abstract: The MHC class I antigen presentation pathway enables cells infected with intracellular pathogens to signal the presence of the invader to the immune system. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes are able to eliminate the infected cells through recognition of pathogen-derived peptides presented by MHC class I molecules at the cell surface. In the course of evolution, many viruses have acquired inhibitors that target essential stages of the MHC class I antigen presentation pathway. Studies on these immune evasion proteins reveal fascinating strategies used by viruses to elude the immune system. Viral immunoevasins also constitute great research tools that facilitate functional studies on the MHC class I antigen presentation pathway, allowing the investigation of less well understood routes, such as TAP-independent antigen presentation and cross-presentation of exogenous proteins. Viral immunoevasins have also helped to unravel more general cellular processes. For instance, basic principles of ER-associated protein degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway have been resolved using virus-induced degradation of MHC class I as a model. This review highlights how viral immunoevasins have increased our understanding of MHC class I-restricted antigen presentation.
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: van de Weijer
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rutger D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Luteijn
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: ewiertz@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: Emmanuel J H J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Wiertz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D057131:Immune Evasion; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D014780:Viruses / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D010455:Peptides
keywords: Cross-presentation; ERAD; Immune evasion; MHC class I; MHC class II; PLC; TAP; Viral inhibitors