Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research

Global transcriptional reprogramming by cytomegalovirus infection suppresses MHC class II antigen presentation while enhancing migration machinery in murine dendritic cells.

This study identifies how cytomegalovirus infection reprograms murine dendritic cells to suppress MHC class II antigen presentation while enhancing migration machinery, with M33 specifically boosting migration-related genes.

Congenital CMV infection drives oligoclonal expansion of cytotoxic γδ T cells from early fetal progenitors

The paper shows congenital CMV infection leads to oligoclonal expansion of cytotoxic γδ T cells with fetal-like TCR features in neonates.

Human cytomegalovirus triggered necroptosis is suppressed by sequestration of MLKL in the nucleus of infected monocytes

This paper shows HCMV extends monocyte lifespan by blocking apoptosis and triggering necroptosis, which it suppresses by sequestering MLKL in the nucleus.

Complete cross strain protection against congenital cytomegalovirus infection requires a vaccine encoding key antibody (gB) and T-cell (immediate early 1 protein) viral antigens

This study shows that a combined vaccine encoding trimeric gB and IE1 proteins provides complete cross-strain protection against congenital cytomegalovirus in guinea pigs, surpassing protection from either antigen alone.

Antibody Reveals Conformational Latch Controlling Herpesvirus Proteases

The paper identifies a conserved loop in herpesvirus proteases that controls dimerization and enzyme activity, presenting a new target for antiviral inhibitors.

Human Cytomegalovirus UL78 is a Nuclear-Localized GPCR Necessary for Efficient Reactivation from Latent Infection in CD34+ Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells

This study identifies UL78 as a nuclear-localized GPCR essential for HCMV reactivation from latency in CD34+ HPCs, showing its Gi coupling and interactome involvement in nuclear processes.

Interstrain Recombinants of Human Cytomegalovirus Reveals Complex Genetic Correlates and Epistasis Influencing Glycoprotein Display, Virion Infectivity and Spread Characteristics.

This paper generates recombinant HCMV strains from two distinct parental isolates to study genetic correlates of glycoprotein display, infectivity, and spread characteristics, revealing complex epistasis and non-causal relationships among these phenotypes.

Parsing the Functions of Immediate Early Proteins in HCMV Infection Outcome

This study shows that overexpression of HCMV IE1 or IE2 enhances productive infection, with IE2 driving early gene expression and IE1 disrupting PML nuclear bodies to promote lytic infection.

Whole Virion Proteomics of HCMV Reveals that gpUL141 is a Virion Component that Regulates Envelope Glycoprotein Composition to Protect Against Humoral Immunity

This paper identifies gpUL141 as a HCMV virion component that modulates envelope glycoprotein trafficking to evade humoral immunity.

Human Cytomegalovirus Infection of Primary Human Oral Keratinocytes Induces Intermediate Keratinocyte Differentiation and an Altered Innate Immune Response

This study investigates HCMV infection in primary human oral keratinocytes, showing it drives dysregulated intermediate differentiation and alters immune responses to support viral replication.

Human cytomegalovirus infection coopts chromatin organization to diminish TEAD1 transcription factor activity

This study shows HCMV infection disrupts chromatin organization and reduces TEAD1 activity through multiple mechanisms, linking it to genetic risk loci for eye and ear development.

DISC1-PML protein interaction for congenital CMV infection-induced cortical neural progenitor deficit: perturbance of host signaling via viral IE1

This study identifies the role of CMV viral protein IE1 in disrupting host DISC1-PML interaction, leading to neural progenitor deficits in congenital CMV infection.

Human cytomegalovirus-encoded G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), UL78, regulates viral reactivation

This study identifies UL78 as a viral factor that facilitates the switch from latency to reactivation in CMV-infected myeloid cells by modulating cellular signaling.

Human cytomegalovirus promotes de novo PC synthesis during early virus replication

This study shows HCMV increases phosphatidylcholine (PC) levels through de novo synthesis during early replication, independent of late gene expression.

Increased Infectivity of Human Cytomegalovirus Strain TB40/E Conferred by Variants of the Envelope Glycoprotein UL128 and the Regulatory Protein IE2

This study identifies two SNVs in HCMV strain TB40/E that enhance infectivity and syncytium formation in epithelial and macrophage cells by altering UL128 splicing and IE2 function.

Human cytomegalovirus induces neuronal gene expression for viral maturation

This study shows that HCMV uses macroH2A1 to reorganize host cell structures and induce neuronal gene expression, which is critical for viral maturation.

Selective knockout of key CMV receptors in fetal cells blocks direct and endocytic pathways of entry in the guinea pig

This study identifies key receptors for GPCMV entry in guinea pig cells and shows that knocking out these receptors blocks infection while leaving HSV-1 unaffected.

Murine cytomegalovirus evolved a cell-cycle regulator (m54.5) within the highly conserved viral DNA polymerase gene

This study identifies m54.5 as a novel gene within the conserved MCMV DNA polymerase locus that encodes a protein regulating cell cycle arrest, with functional similarity to HCMV UL21a but not essential for viral replication.

Spatial Transcriptomics Reveals that the Local Immune Response to Placental Guinea Pig Cytomegalovirus Infection is Driven by Chemokine Signaling

This study uses spatial transcriptomics to show that GPCMV infection disrupts placental function by altering chemokine signaling and antiviral defense in specific regions.

A dual role in virion attachment and entry makes the human cytomegalovirus gHgLgO trimer the central player in virion infectivity

The paper identifies gHgLgO as the central player in HCMV infectivity by showing its role in HSPG binding and infectivity, challenging previous views on gB and gMgN complexes.

Different CMV-specific effector T cell subtypes are associated with age, CMV serostatus, and increased systolic blood pressure

The paper examines the association between CMV-specific effector T cell subtypes, age, CMV serostatus, and systolic blood pressure in an elderly cohort.

A noncanonical glycoprotein H complex enhances cytomegalovirus entry

This study identifies a new HCMV glycoprotein complex that enhances endothelial cell infection and presents it as a potential vaccine and antiviral target.

CMV-specific clonal expansion of Th1, GZMK⁺ CD8⁺, and TEMRA T cells revealed by human PBMC single cell profiling

The paper uses single-cell profiling to show CMV drives clonal expansion of GZMK CD8 and Th1 cells in humans.

Cellular antibody affinity-based CRISPR Screening identifies JUNB as a broadly acting anti-viral factor

The paper introduces a CRISPR screening method called VIRCAA to identify genes affecting HCMV infection, finding JUNB as an anti-viral factor.

Replication-Deficient Whole-Virus Vaccines Against Cytomegalovirus Induce Protective Immunity in a Guinea Pig Congenital Infection Model

This study evaluates two replication-deficient whole-virus vaccines against GPCMV in a guinea pig model, showing they are attenuated and provide protective immunity against maternal viremia and congenital infection.

What challenges remain in harmonizing cytomegalovirus viral load quantification across laboratories?

This study evaluates inter-laboratory variability in CMV DNA quantification and finds large discrepancies despite standardized materials, highlighting the need for improved assay calibrators and run controls.

Viral and host network analysis of the human cytomegalovirus transcriptome in latency.

The paper analyzes the transcriptional network of HCMV in latency by comparing gene expression with and without UL135 and UL138, revealing their roles in viral gene regulation and hematopoietic differentiation.

Unveiling immune interference: How the dendritic cell response to co-infection with Aspergillus fumigatus is modulated by human cytomegalovirus and its virokine CMVIL-10

This study investigates how HCMV and its virokine CMVIL-10 modulate dendritic cell responses during co-infection with A. fumigatus, revealing that CMVIL-10 has a limited role in suppressing antifungal immunity.

A human cytomegalovirus prefusion-like glycoprotein B subunit vaccine elicits similar humoral immunity to that of postfusion gB in mice

This study compares humoral immunity elicited by prefusion-like and postfusion forms of HCMV gB in mice, finding similar neutralization titers but differences in antibody binding and phagocytosis.

First-trimester exposure to anti-cytomegalovirus medications: a study of the effects of valaciclovir, letermovir and maribavir on early placental development

This study evaluates the effects of valaciclovir, letermovir, and maribavir on first-trimester placental development and cell viability, finding no significant adverse effects on cytotrophoblast cells.