Rhesus Cytomegalovirus-encoded Fcγ-binding glycoproteins facilitate viral evasion from IgG-mediated humoral immunity

Claire E. Otero, Sophia Petkova, Martin Ebermann, Husam Taher, Nessy John, Katja Hoffmann, Angel Davalos, Matilda J. Moström, Roxanne M. Gilbride, Courtney R. Papen, Aaron Barber-Axthelm, Elizabeth A. Scheef, Richard Barfield, Lesli M. Sprehe, Savannah Kendall, Tabitha D. Manuel, Teresa Beechwood, Linh Khanh Nguyen, Nathan H. Vande Burgt, Cliburn Chan, Michael Denton, Zachary J. Streblow, Daniel N. Streblow, Alice F. Tarantal, Scott G. Hansen, Amitinder Kaur, Sallie Permar, Klaus Früh, Hartmut Hengel, Daniel Malouli () and Philipp Kolb ()
Additional contact information
Claire E. Otero: Weill Cornell Medicine
Sophia Petkova: University of Freiburg
Martin Ebermann: University of Freiburg
Husam Taher: Oregon Health and Science University
Nessy John: Oregon Health and Science University
Katja Hoffmann: University of Freiburg
Angel Davalos: Duke University
Matilda J. Moström: Tulane University
Roxanne M. Gilbride: Oregon Health and Science University
Courtney R. Papen: Oregon Health and Science University
Aaron Barber-Axthelm: Oregon Health and Science University
Elizabeth A. Scheef: Tulane University
Richard Barfield: Duke University
Lesli M. Sprehe: Tulane University
Savannah Kendall: Tulane University
Tabitha D. Manuel: Tulane University
Teresa Beechwood: Oregon Health and Science University
Linh Khanh Nguyen: Oregon Health and Science University
Nathan H. Vande Burgt: Oregon Health and Science University
Cliburn Chan: Duke University
Michael Denton: Oregon Health and Science University
Zachary J. Streblow: Oregon Health and Science University
Daniel N. Streblow: Oregon Health and Science University
Alice F. Tarantal: University of California
Scott G. Hansen: Oregon Health and Science University
Amitinder Kaur: Tulane University
Sallie Permar: Weill Cornell Medicine
Klaus Früh: Oregon Health and Science University
Hartmut Hengel: University of Freiburg
Daniel Malouli: Oregon Health and Science University
Philipp Kolb: University of Freiburg

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) encodes four viral Fc-gamma receptors (vFcγRs) that counteract antibody-mediated activation in vitro, but their role in infection and pathogenesis is unknown. To examine their in vivo function in an animal model evolutionarily closely related to humans, we identified and characterized Rh05, Rh152/151 and Rh173 as the complete set of vFcγRs encoded by rhesus CMV (RhCMV). Each one of these proteins displays functional similarities to their prospective HCMV orthologs with respect to antagonizing host FcγR activation in vitro. When RhCMV-naïve male rhesus macaques were infected with vFcγR-deleted RhCMV, peak plasma DNAemia levels and anti-RhCMV antibody responses were comparable to wildtype infections of both male and female animals. However, the duration of plasma DNAemia was significantly shortened in immunocompetent, but not in CD4 + T cell-depleted animals. Since vFcγRs were not required for superinfection of rhesus macaques, we conclude that these proteins can prolong lytic replication during primary infection by evading virus-specific adaptive immune responses, particularly antibodies.

Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-56419-3 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-56419-3

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56419-3

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().