Mechanisms mediating HCMV genome maintenance during latency

描述(申请人提供)：人类巨细胞病毒(CMV)感染是移植受者发病率和死亡率的重要来源，也是先天性感染儿童长期残疾的主要原因。因此，迫切需要开发新的抗病毒疗法。然而，这种病毒经历终生潜伏和重新激活周期的能力是我们朝着这一目标取得进展的一个巨大障碍。在这里，我们建议使用两种造血细胞中CMV潜伏期的体外模型来最终确定是否以及如何在分裂髓系祖细胞的过程中维持潜伏的病毒基因组。这项工作将对CMV潜伏期的一个关键方面提供重要的见解，并将为开发有可能从人类人群中根除这种病毒的创新疗法奠定基础。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections are a substantial source of morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients, and a major cause of long-term disabilities in congenitally infected children. Because of this, the development of new antiviral therapies is urgently needed. The ability of this virus to undergo lifelong latency and reactivation cycles, however, represents a formidable obstacle in our progress towards this goal. Here, we propose to use two in vitro models of CMV latency in hematopoietic cells to conclusively establish if and how maintenance of latent viral genomes is achieved in dividing myeloid progenitor cells. This work will provide significant insights into a crucial aspect of CMV latency, and will constitute the foundation for the development of innovative therapies with the potential to eradicate this virus from the human population.