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Murine cytomegalovirus regulation of NKG2D ligands

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Abstract

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a ubiquitous pathogen that causes morbidity risk in immunologically suppressed and immunodeficient patients including congenital infections. Approaches to curb the consequences of HCMV infections are restricted by a lack of complete understanding of viral pathogenesis. The infection of mice with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) as a model of HCMV infection has been particularly useful in elucidating the role of innate and adaptive immune response mechanisms. A large number of cytomegalovirus genes modulate the innate and the adaptive host immune response. The products of several MCMV genes are involved in subverting the natural killer (NK) cell response by down-modulating cellular ligands for the NKG2D receptor expressed on NK cells and CD8+ T cells. Mutant viruses lacking these immunoevasion genes are attenuated with respect to virus growth in vivo. Given the importance of the NKG2D receptor in controlling both NK- and T cell-mediated immunity, it is of tremendous importance to understand the molecular mechanisms and consequences of viral regulation of the NKG2D ligands.

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Acknowledgments

Our work is supported by Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sport grants: 0621261-1263 (SJ) and 0621261-1268 (AK). AK is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Scholars grant.

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  1. Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, B. Branchetta 20, 51000, Rijeka, Croatia

    Tihana Lenac, Jurica Arapović, Luka Traven, Astrid Krmpotić & Stipan Jonjić

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  1. Tihana Lenac
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  2. Jurica Arapović
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Correspondence to Stipan Jonjić.

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Lenac, T., Arapović, J., Traven, L. et al. Murine cytomegalovirus regulation of NKG2D ligands. Med Microbiol Immunol 197, 159–166 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00430-008-0080-7

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