Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Dissecting Innate Immune Signaling in Viral Evasion of Cytokine Production
08:32

Dissecting Innate Immune Signaling in Viral Evasion of Cytokine Production

Published on: March 2, 2014

Human cytomegalovirus encodes an MHC class I-like molecule (UL142) that functions to inhibit NK cell lysis

Mark R Wills1, Omodele Ashiru, Matthew B Reeves

  • 1Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. mrw1004@cam.ac.uk

Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)
|November 23, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) encodes a novel MHC class I-related molecule, UL142, which inhibits natural killer (NK) cell killing. This UL142 molecule impacts NK cell activity in a clonally dependent manner.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a prevalent pathogen that employs immune evasion strategies.
  • HCMV encodes MHC class I homologs, including UL18, to modulate host immune responses.
  • The ULb' region of HCMV, encoding UL142, is often absent in laboratory strains.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the function of the HCMV-encoded MHC class I-related molecule UL142.
  • To determine the effect of UL142 on natural killer (NK) cell activity.
  • To characterize UL142's role in HCMV immune evasion.

Main Methods:

  • Expression of UL142 in transfected cells and HCMV-infected fibroblasts.
  • Screening of polyclonal and clonal NK cells using an autologous system.
  • Assessment of NK cell inhibition by UL142-expressing cells.
  • Small-interfering RNA (siRNA) mediated knockdown of UL142 mRNA.

Main Results:

  • HCMV UL142 is a novel MHC class I-related molecule.
  • UL142 expression on infected cells inhibited NK cell killing in a clonally dependent manner.
  • Knockdown of UL142 enhanced NK cell-mediated lysis of HCMV-infected cells.

Conclusions:

  • UL142 is a newly identified HCMV immune evasion molecule.
  • UL142 actively suppresses NK cell cytotoxicity.
  • UL142 represents a target for understanding HCMV pathogenesis and immune control.

More Related Videos

Assessing the Expression of Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I on Primary Murine Hippocampal Neurons by Flow Cytometry08:07

Assessing the Expression of Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I on Primary Murine Hippocampal Neurons by Flow Cytometry

Published on: May 19, 2020

Two Flow Cytometric Approaches of NKG2D Ligand Surface Detection to Distinguish Stem Cells from Bulk Subpopulations in Acute Myeloid Leukemia05:24

Two Flow Cytometric Approaches of NKG2D Ligand Surface Detection to Distinguish Stem Cells from Bulk Subpopulations in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Published on: February 21, 2021

Related Concept Videos

Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens01:29

Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens

The immune system's response to viral infections is a complex and coordinated process involving natural killer (NK) cells, T cell-mediated responses, and antibody-mediated responses.
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
Cytomegalovirus Disease01:27

Cytomegalovirus Disease

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is caused by human cytomegalovirus, a double-stranded DNA virus of the Herpesviridae family. While primary CMV infection is often asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, the virus can cause severe disease in neonates and immunocompromised patients. CMV is the most common cause of congenital viral infection in the United States, and a major pathogen in solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.CMV is transmitted via bodily fluids, sexual...
Cells of the Innate Immune Response01:28

Cells of the Innate Immune Response

The innate immune response is an immediate and non-specific response against pathogens, acting swiftly to prevent the spread of infections. The primary cells involved in this response are phagocytes and natural killer (NK) cells.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes police the peripheral tissues by removing cellular debris and responding to the invasion of foreign substances or pathogens. Many phagocytes attack and remove microorganisms even before lymphocytes detect them. The human body has two general...
Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity01:26

Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity

An antigen is any substance the immune system identifies as foreign and potentially harmful to the body, prompting an immune response. Antigens have two functional properties: immunogenicity and reactivity. Immunogenicity is the ability of an antigen to stimulate a specific immune response. At the same time, reactivity describes the antigen's ability to react with the cells and antibodies produced in response to it.
Complete Antigens
Complete antigens possess both immunogenicity and reactivity.
Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
Inhibitors Of Virion Release01:25

Inhibitors Of Virion Release

Viral replication and dissemination rely on efficient mechanisms for host cell entry, genome replication, assembly, and release. Influenza viruses, such as types A and B, are negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses with a segmented genome, that depend on two critical surface glycoproteins to carry out these processes: hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). HA initiates infection by binding to sialic acid residues on the surface of host epithelial cells, facilitating receptor-mediated...