Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 19, 2025

Utilizing the Antigen Capsid-Incorporation Strategy for the Development of Adenovirus Serotype 5-Vectored Vaccine Approaches
13:36

Utilizing the Antigen Capsid-Incorporation Strategy for the Development of Adenovirus Serotype 5-Vectored Vaccine Approaches

Published on: May 6, 2015

10.5K

KIR3DS1 directs NK cell-mediated protection against human adenovirus infections

Johannes M Jung1,2, Wilhelm Ching2, Martin E Baumdick1

  • 1Research Department Virus Immunology, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, Hamburg, Germany.

Science Immunology
|September 17, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) cause severe disease in children after stem cell transplants. A new study shows the KIR3DS1/HLA-F pathway enhances NK cell killing of HAdV-infected cells, offering a potential immunotherapy target.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Virology
  • Transplantation

Background:

  • Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) are a significant cause of disease in children, especially after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).
  • Effective therapies for HAdV infections in immunocompromised individuals are limited.
  • Understanding immune recognition of HAdV is crucial for developing new therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate immune recognition of HAdV infection.
  • To identify novel targets for immune-mediated control of HAdV infections.
  • To explore the role of the KIR3DS1/HLA-F axis in HAdV disease.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a 3D organoid system derived from primary human intestinal epithelial cells to model HAdV infection.
  • Assessed the expression of HLA molecules (HLA-F, HLA-A, HLA-B) in infected organoids.
  • Conducted immunogenetic analyses in a pediatric allo-HSCT cohort.

Main Results:

  • Human adenovirus type 5 (HAdV5) infection led to strong upregulation of HLA-F, facilitating enhanced killing of infected cells by KIR3DS1+ NK cells.
  • HAdV5 infection resulted in downregulation of HLA-A and HLA-B, indicating viral evasion mechanisms against CD8+ T cells.
  • Children receiving KIR3DS1/HLA-Bw4 donor cells showed a reduced risk of severe HAdV disease and faster viral clearance post-allo-HSCT.

Conclusions:

  • The KIR3DS1/HLA-F axis represents a promising target for immunotherapeutic interventions against severe HAdV disease.
  • This pathway plays a critical role in NK cell-mediated control of HAdV infections in immunocompromised hosts.
  • Findings provide a basis for developing novel strategies to combat HAdV infections post-transplantation.

More Related Videos

Adenoviral Transduction of Naive CD4 T Cells to Study Treg Differentiation15:33

Adenoviral Transduction of Naive CD4 T Cells to Study Treg Differentiation

Published on: August 13, 2013

16.1K
Dextran Enhances the Lentiviral Transduction Efficiency of Murine and Human Primary NK Cells08:42

Dextran Enhances the Lentiviral Transduction Efficiency of Murine and Human Primary NK Cells

Published on: January 15, 2018

11.3K

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...
1.1K
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...
6.5K
Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes01:25

Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes

Immune surveillance is an integral part of the innate immune system, involving the continuous monitoring of peripheral tissues to detect and respond to pathogens, infected cells, or cancerous cells. This surveillance is conducted primarily by natural killer (NK) cells and phagocytes, which employ distinct but complementary mechanisms to identify and eliminate threats.
Natural Killer Cells: The Fast Responders
NK cells are large granular lymphocytes found in the blood and lymphatic system. These...
5.9K
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...
4.8K