Viral evasion of innate immunity: have we misunderstood one of the world's most widespread viruses?

先天免疫反应是病毒感染的第一道防线，其中干扰素产生细胞抗病毒蛋白试图控制感染。人巨细胞病毒（HCMV）是一种广泛的全球性病原体，影响一些社会最脆弱的人。先前已经研究了HCMV实验室菌株对先天免疫的逃避。然而，类似于野生型HCMV的HCMV毒株对先天免疫的逃避尚未完全研究。我们已经鉴定出可以（野生型毒株）和不能（实验室毒株）逃避先天免疫应答的病毒。通过比较这些病毒的感染，我们将研究HCMV如何影响干扰素的产生和受干扰素调节的抗病毒蛋白的功能。然后，我们将确定哪些病毒基因负责影响上述过程。这个项目将帮助我们了解我们可能误解了全球病原体与先天免疫系统的相互作用。该项目在其他地方具有重要的学术影响，因为它可能有助于识别与HCMV相关的病毒中的病毒蛋白，这些蛋白对控制先天免疫很重要。由于干扰素的产生对于HCMV疫苗设计可能是重要的，因此这项工作也可能具有重要的翻译影响。

TBCThe innate immune response is the first line of defence in viral infection, where production of cellular anti-viral proteins by interferon attempt to control infection. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a widespread global pathogen affecting some of societies most vulnerable people. Evasion of innate immunity by HCMV laboratory strains has previously been studied. However, evasion of innate immunity by HCMV strains that resemble wild type HCMV has not yet been fully explored. We have identified viruses that can (wild type strain) and cannot (lab strain) evade the innate immune response. By comparing infection of these viruses we will examine how HCMV influences interferon production and the function of anti-viral proteins regulated by interferon. We will then identify what viral genes are responsible for influencing the aforementioned processes. This project will help us understand how we may have misunderstood interaction of a global pathogen with the innate immune system. This project has important academic impact elsewhere as it may help identify viral proteins in viruses related to HCMV that are important for control of innate immunity. As interferon production may be important for HCMV vaccine design, this work may also have important translational impacts.