Two Mechanistically Distinct Immune Evasion Proteins of Cowpox Virus Combine to Avoid Antiviral CD8 T Cells

Minji Byun, Marieke C. Verweij, David J. Pickup, Emmanuel J.H.J. Wiertz, Ted H. Hansen, Wayne M. Yokoyama

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

51 Scopus citations

Abstract

Downregulation of MHC class I on the cell surface is an immune evasion mechanism shared by many DNA viruses, including cowpox virus. Previously, a cowpox virus protein, CPXV203, was shown to downregulate MHC class I. Here we report that CPXV12 is the only other MHC class I-regulating protein of cowpox virus and that it uses a mechanism distinct from that of CPXV203. Whereas CPXV203 retains fully assembled MHC class I by exploiting the KDEL-mediated endoplasmic reticulum retention pathway, CPXV12 binds to the peptide-loading complex and inhibits peptide loading on MHC class I molecules. Viruses deleted of both CPXV12 and CPXV203 demonstrated attenuated virulence in a CD8 T cell-dependent manner. These data demonstrate that CPXV12 and CPXV203 proteins combine to ablate MHC class I expression and abrogate antiviral CD8 T cell responses.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)422-432
Number of pages11
JournalCell Host and Microbe
Volume6
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 19 2009
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • CELLBIO
  • MICROBIO
  • MOLIMMUNO

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology
  • Microbiology
  • Virology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Two Mechanistically Distinct Immune Evasion Proteins of Cowpox Virus Combine to Avoid Antiviral CD8 T Cells'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this