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Mechanisms of Immune Evasion of Monkeypox Virus Publisher



Zandi M1 ; Shafaati M2, 3 ; Hosseini F4, 5
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  2. 2. Department of Microbiology, Faculty Science, Jahrom Branch, Islamic Azad University, Jahrom, Iran
  3. 3. Occupational Sleep Research, Baharloo Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
  4. 4. Department of Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies on Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  5. 5. Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies on Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Source: Frontiers in Microbiology Published:2023


Abstract

The mpox (disease caused by the monkeypox virus) epidemic in 2022 provides a good opportunity to study the immune response to mpox. Vaccinia virus-infected monocytes could be recognized by monkeypox virus-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, which produce inflammatory cytokines including IFNγ and TNFα. However, these cells are mostly unable to react to monkeypox virus-infected cells. The monkeypox virus also has no effect on the expression of MHC classes. Cells infected with monkeypox virus can prevent T cells from being activated via their T cell receptors. Insensitivity is an MHC-independent strategy for controlling antiviral T cells activation and inflammatory cytokines production. It is likely a critical aspect of virus spread in the infected host. The ability of monkeypox virus to spread efficiently as cell-associated viremia may be explained by the evasion strategies employed by the virus to subvert immunological surveillance by virus-specific T cells. Copyright © 2023 Zandi, Shafaati and Hosseini.