Tweet
J Virol. 2009 Jul 8. [Epub ahead of print]
Influenza virus directly infects human natural killer cells and induces cell apoptosis.
Mao H, Tu W, Qin G, Law HK, Sia SF, Chan PL, Liu Y, Lam KT, Zheng J, Peiris M, Lau YL. Department of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China; Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China; HKU-Pasteur Research Centre, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China.
Influenza is an acute respiratory viral disease that is transmitted in the first few days of infection. Evasion of host innate immune defenses including natural killer (NK) cells would be important for its success as a viral pathogen of humans and other animals. NK cells will encounter influenza viruses within the microenvironment of infected cells and are important for host innate immunity during influenza infection. It is therefore important to investigate the direct effects of influenza virus on NK cells. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that influenza virus directly infected and replicated in primary human NK cells. Viral entry into NK cells was mediated by both clathrin- and caveolin-dependent endocytosis rather than through macropinocytosis, and was dependent on the sialic acids on cell surface. In addition, influenza virus infection induced marked apoptosis of NK cells. Our findings suggest that influenza virus can directly target and kill NK cells, a potential novel strategy of influenza virus to evade NK cell innate immune defense which is likely to facilitate viral transmission and may also contribute to virus pathogenesis.
PMID: 19587043 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
-
------
Influenza virus directly infects human natural killer cells and induces cell apoptosis.
Mao H, Tu W, Qin G, Law HK, Sia SF, Chan PL, Liu Y, Lam KT, Zheng J, Peiris M, Lau YL. Department of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China; Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China; HKU-Pasteur Research Centre, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China.
Influenza is an acute respiratory viral disease that is transmitted in the first few days of infection. Evasion of host innate immune defenses including natural killer (NK) cells would be important for its success as a viral pathogen of humans and other animals. NK cells will encounter influenza viruses within the microenvironment of infected cells and are important for host innate immunity during influenza infection. It is therefore important to investigate the direct effects of influenza virus on NK cells. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that influenza virus directly infected and replicated in primary human NK cells. Viral entry into NK cells was mediated by both clathrin- and caveolin-dependent endocytosis rather than through macropinocytosis, and was dependent on the sialic acids on cell surface. In addition, influenza virus infection induced marked apoptosis of NK cells. Our findings suggest that influenza virus can directly target and kill NK cells, a potential novel strategy of influenza virus to evade NK cell innate immune defense which is likely to facilitate viral transmission and may also contribute to virus pathogenesis.
PMID: 19587043 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
-
------
Comment