Enforced dimerization of CD45 by the adenovirus E3/49K protein inhibits T cell receptor signaling

Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) are widespread pathogens that generally cause mild infections in immunocompetent individuals, but severe or even fatal diseases in immunocompromised patients. In order to counteract the host immune defenses HAdVs encode various immunomodulatory proteins in the early transcription unit 3 (E3). The E3/49K protein is a highly glycosylated type I transmembrane protein uniquely expressed by species D adenoviruses. Its N-terminal ectodomain sec49K is released by metalloprotease-mediated shedding at the cell surface and binds to the receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatase CD45, a critical regulator of leukocyte activation and functions. It remained elusive which domains of CD45 and E3/49K are involved in the interaction and whether such an interaction can also occur on the cell surface with membrane-anchored full-length E3/49K. Here, we show that the two extracellular domains R1 and R2 of E3/49K bind to the same site in the domain d3 of CD45. This interaction enforces the dimerization of CD45 causing the inhibition of T cell receptor signaling. Intriguingly, the membrane-anchored E3/49K appears to be designed like a "molecular fishing rod" using an extended disordered region of E3/49K as a "fishing line" to bridge the distance between the plasma membrane of infected cells and the CD45 binding site on T cells to effectively position the domains R1 and R2 as baits for CD45 binding. This design strongly suggests that both the secreted sec49K and the membrane-anchored full-length E3/49K have immunomodulatory functions. The forced dimerization of CD45 may be applied as a therapeutic strategy in chronic inflammatory disorders and cancer.