Elsevier

Virology

Volume 391, Issue 1, 15 August 2009, Pages 20-24
Virology

Enhanced monocyte Fc phagocytosis by a homologue of interleukin-10 encoded by human cytomegalovirus

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2009.06.003Get rights and content
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Abstract

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) expresses several homologues of human interleukin 10 (hIL-10) possessing immunomodulatory properties which may promote viral infection by modulating the function of myeloid cells. We examined the phenotype and phagocytic capability of human monocytes exposed to hIL-10, an HCMV-encoded hIL-10 homologue expressed during the productive phase of infection (cmvIL-10), and a differentially spliced form of cmvIL-10 expressed during latent and productive phases of infection, (LAcmvIL-10). hIL-10 and cmvIL-10 upregulated expression of Fcγ receptors, stimulated phagocytosis of IgG-opsonised erythrocytes and decreased MHC class II (HLA-DR) expression on purified monocytes within 24 h. In contrast, LAcmvIL-10 decreased HLA-DR expression at later times (48 h and 72 h) but did not increase Fcγ receptor expression. We conclude that cmvIL-10 promotes differentiation of monocytes towards a pro-phagocytic phenotype and that LAcmvIL-10 does not affect monocytes by the same mechanism as cmvIL-10. The significance of these properties to cytomegalovirus pathogenesis is discussed.

Keywords

Human cytomegalovirus
Interleukin 10
Monocytes
Fcγ receptors
Phagocytosis
cmvIL-10
LA cmvIL-10

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These authors contributed equally to the work.