生物谷报道：病毒编码的miRNA已被发现存在于疱疹病毒属中，但是关于它们的生物学功能并不清楚。发表于最新一期《科学》杂志上的一篇研究报告，科研人员最近研究出一种新的算法可用于预测miRNA的靶标，并将其运用于人细胞巨化病毒miRNA上，从而鉴定出编码1型主要组织相容性复合物的B链（MICB）的基因可能是hcmv-miR-UL112的一个潜在的靶标。
MICB是NK细胞活化受体NKG2D的配基，可在应激作用下与NKG2D作用，它对NK细胞对病毒感染细胞和肿瘤细胞的杀伤作用的有效发挥具有重要的作用。这项研究的结果显示，在病毒感染过程中，hcmv-miR-UL112可以特异地下调MICB的表达，导致其与NKG2D的结合下降，从而减弱了NK细胞的杀伤作用。
这项研究揭示了一种新的免疫逃避的机制，这种建立在miRNA基础上的机制被认为可能在人巨细胞病毒感染的过程中起作用。
作者简介：
Ofer Mandelboim
Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology
Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School
原文出处：
Host Immune System Gene Targeting by a Viral miRNA
Noam Stern-Ginossar, Naama Elefant, Albert Zimmermann, Dana G. Wolf, Nivin Saleh, Moshe Biton, Elad Horwitz, Zafnat Prokocimer, Mark Prichard, Gabriele Hahn, Debra Goldman-Wohl, Caryn Greenfield, Simcha Yagel, Hartmut Hengel, Yael Altuvia, Hanah Margalit, and Ofer Mandelboim
Science 20 July 2007: 376-381.
Cytomegalovirus aids its own survival by encoding a microRNA that inhibits, in the infected host cell, translation of a ligand that would normally trigger antiviral responses.
Abstract »| Full Text »| PDF »| Supporting Online Material »|
相关基因：
MICB
Official Symbol MICB and Name: MHC class I polypeptide-related sequence B [Homo sapiens]
Other Aliases: DAQB-72H16.3, PERB11.2
Other Designations: MHC class I chain-related protein B; MHC class I mic-B antigen; MHC class I molecule; MHC class I-like molecule PERB11.2-IMX; OTTHUMP00000035091; OTTHUMP00000035588; stress inducible class I homolog
Chromosome: 6; Location: 6p21.3
Annotation: Chromosome 6, NC_000006.10 (31573945..31586880)
MIM: 602436
GeneID: 4277
KLRK1
Official Symbol KLRK1 and Name: killer cell lectin-like receptor subfamily K, member 1 [Homo sapiens]
Other Aliases: CD314, D12S2489E, KLR, NKG2-D, NKG2D
Other Designations: NK cell receptor D; NKG2-D type II integral membrane protein
Chromosome: 12; Location: 12p13.2-p12.3
Annotation: Chromosome 12, NC_000012.10 (10416219..10451632, complement)
GeneID: 22914
