6th Clinical Microbiology Conference

Biography

Biography: Giada Frascaroli

Abstract

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is an enveloped double stranded DNA virus member of the Herpesvirus family. HCMV has a very high seroprevalence among the human population and infects 50% to 100% of individuals depending on the socio-economic conditions. Although the course of infection is mainly asymptomatic in normally healthy individuals, HCMV infection in immunocompromised persons can lead to life-threatening complications, like gastrointestinal disease, hepatitis, or pneumonia. Importantly, HCMV is also the most frequent viral cause of malformations in newborns, leading to deafness or mental retardation. HCMV can infect a broad spectrum of cells in the human body including central cells of the immune system such as monocytes, dendritic cells and macrophages (Mφ). Despite their broad equipment of pathogen sensing and scavenging molecules, Mφ are susceptible to HCMV infection and support viral persistence and dissemination in the human body. Since Mφ are also a first line of defense against pathogens and key modulators of the innate and adaptive immune responses, these cells represent an essential switch between protection or viral persistence and pathogenesis. In this talk I will provide an overview about the manipulative strategies used by HCMV to escape the immune response explaining the viral proteins and mechanisms that impact 1) antigen presentation, 2) cell migration and 3) cytokine secretion. I will present several examples of the immunoevasive strategies used by HCMV to manipulate the immunological properties and functions of Mφ. Moreover, by introducing newly developed experimental systems and approaches, I will provide the last data showing the cross-talk existing between Mφ and essential cells of the innate immune system such as natural killer (NK) cells as well as cells of the adaptive immune system such as T lymphocytes.