1. Human Cytomegalovirus UL131-128 Genes Are Indispensable for Virus Growth in Endothelial Cells and Virus Transfer to Leukocytes.
- Author
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Hahn, Gabriele, Revello, Maria Grazia, Patrone, Marco, Percivalle, Elena, Campanini, Giulia, Sarasini, Antonella, Wagner, Markus, Gallina, Andrea, Milanesi, Gabriele, Koszinowski, Ulrich, Baldanti, Fausto, and Gerna, Giuseppe
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CYTOMEGALOVIRUSES , *LEUCOCYTES , *VASCULAR diseases , *ENDOTHELIUM , *TROPISMS , *VIROLOGY - Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a ubiquitous human pathogen, is the leading cause of birth defects and morbidity in immunocompromised patients and a potential trigger for vascular disease. HCMV replicates in vascular endothelial cells and drives leukocyte-mediated viral dissemination through close endothelium-leukocyte interaction. However, the genetic basis of HCMV growth in endothelial cells and transfer to leukocytes is unknown. We show here that the UL131-128 gene locus of HCMV is indispensable for both productive infection of endothelial cells and transmission to leukocytes. The experimental evidence for this is based on both the loss-of-function phenotype in knockout mutants and natural variants and the gain-of-function phenotype by trans-complementation with individual UL131, UL130, and UL128 genes. Our findings suggest that a common mechanism of virus transfer may be involved in both endothelial cell tropism and leukocyte transfer and shed light on a crucial step in the pathogenesis of HCMV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2004
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