An MHC class I immune evasion gene of Marek's disease virus

作者：Hearn Cari; Preeyanon Likit; Hunt Henry D; York Ian A^*

来源：Virology, 2015, 475: 88-95.

DOI：10.1016/j.virol.2014.11.008

• Marek's disease virus
• Major histocompatibility complex class I
• Immune evasion

Marek's disease virus (MDV) is a widespread a-herpesvirus of chickens that causes T cell tumors. Acute, but not latent, MDV infection has previously been shown to lead to downregulation of cell-surface MHC class I (Virology 282:198-205 (2001)), but the gene(s) involved have not been identified. Here we demonstrate that an MDV gene, MDV012, is capable of reducing surface expression of MHC class I on chicken cells. Co-expression of an MHC class l-binding peptide targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum (bypassing the requirement for the TAP peptide transporter) partially rescued MHC class I expression in the presence of MDV012, suggesting that MDV012 is a TAP-blocking MHC class I immune evasion protein. This is the first unique non-mammalian MHC class I immune evasion gene identified, and suggests that alpha-herpesviruses have conserved this function for at least 100 million years.

• 出版日期2015-1-15