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Cell Reports, Volume 3, Issue 4, 1044-1050, 18 April 2013
Copyright ? 2013 The Authors
10.1016/j.celrep.2013.03.034
Authors
Yotam Bar-On, Ariella Glasner, Tal Meningher, Hagit Achdout, Chamutal Gur, Dikla Lankry, Alon Vitenshtein, Adrienne F.A. Meyers, Michal Mandelboim, Ofer Mandelboimsend emailSee Affiliations
Highlights
Influenza viruses use their NA proteins to escape NK cell killing
NA impairs the NKp46 recognition of influenza viruses
The impairment of NKp46 recognition reduces virus elimination in vitro and in vivo
NA inhibitors boost NKp46 recognition
Summary
Natural killer (NK) cells play an essential role in the defense against influenza virus, one of the deadliest respiratory viruses known today. The NKp46 receptor, expressed by NK cells, is critical for controlling influenza infections, as influenza-virus-infected cells are eliminated through the recognition of the viral hemagglutinin (HA) protein by NKp46. Here, we describe an immune-evasion mechanism of influenza viruses that is mediated by the neuraminidase (NA) protein. By using various NA blockers, we show that NA removes sialic acid residues from NKp46 and that this leads to reduced recognition of HA. Furthermore, we provide in vivo and in vitro evidence for the existence of this NA-mediated, NKp46-dependent immune-evasion mechanism and demonstrate that NA inhibitors, which are commonly used for the treatment of influenza infections, are useful not only as blockers of virus budding but also as boosters of NKp46 recognition.
Copyright ? 2013 The Authors
10.1016/j.celrep.2013.03.034
Authors
Yotam Bar-On, Ariella Glasner, Tal Meningher, Hagit Achdout, Chamutal Gur, Dikla Lankry, Alon Vitenshtein, Adrienne F.A. Meyers, Michal Mandelboim, Ofer Mandelboimsend emailSee Affiliations
Highlights
Influenza viruses use their NA proteins to escape NK cell killing
NA impairs the NKp46 recognition of influenza viruses
The impairment of NKp46 recognition reduces virus elimination in vitro and in vivo
NA inhibitors boost NKp46 recognition
Summary
Natural killer (NK) cells play an essential role in the defense against influenza virus, one of the deadliest respiratory viruses known today. The NKp46 receptor, expressed by NK cells, is critical for controlling influenza infections, as influenza-virus-infected cells are eliminated through the recognition of the viral hemagglutinin (HA) protein by NKp46. Here, we describe an immune-evasion mechanism of influenza viruses that is mediated by the neuraminidase (NA) protein. By using various NA blockers, we show that NA removes sialic acid residues from NKp46 and that this leads to reduced recognition of HA. Furthermore, we provide in vivo and in vitro evidence for the existence of this NA-mediated, NKp46-dependent immune-evasion mechanism and demonstrate that NA inhibitors, which are commonly used for the treatment of influenza infections, are useful not only as blockers of virus budding but also as boosters of NKp46 recognition.
