Functional analysis of human cytomegalovirus IL-10 protein isoforms.

• Grant number: 23/01757-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: June 01, 2023
• End date: May 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Maria Cristina Carlan da Silva
• Grantee: Isabella das Graças Lopes Martines
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a pathogen with high prevalence in the world population that mainly affects immunocompromised individuals. HCMV is the major cause of congenital infection, which can result in central nervous system impairments and even deafness in newborns. In addition, evidence shows that the virus may be involved with tumor processes. The infection can present itself in three ways: acute infection, with high levels of viral replication; persistent infection in which there is control by the host's immune system, with this, low levels of viral replication and low production of infectious particles and latent infection, which is established throughout the life of the host, in which genes are expressed at low levels and there is no production of new viral particles. The success of the virus is due to its ability to subvert the host's immune system through the action of several viral proteins, one of which is viral interleukin 10 (vIL-10), encoded by the viral gene UL111A, a homologue of human interleukin 10 (hIL-10). During infection, the UL111A gene undergoes alternative splicing, generating several messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts that are translated into different protein isoforms. The most studied isoforms, which have defined functions, are cmvIL-10 (also called isoform A) and LAcmvIL-10 (isoform B). In addition, isoforms C, D, E, F, G and H are produced, whose biological activities are little known. This work aims to determine the functions of the C to G isoforms.