A broad spectrum secreted chemokine binding protein encoded by a herpesvirus

CM Parry, JP Simas, VP Smith, CA Stewart… - The Journal of …, 2000 - rupress.org
CM Parry, JP Simas, VP Smith, CA Stewart, AC Minson, S Efstathiou, A Alcami
The Journal of experimental medicine, 2000rupress.org
Chemokines are a family of small proteins that interact with seven-transmembrane domain
receptors and modulate the migration of immune cells into sites of inflammation and
infection. The murine gammaherpesvirus 68 M3 gene encodes a secreted 44-kD protein
with no sequence similarity to known chemokine receptors. We show that M3 binds a broad
range of chemokines, including CC, CXC, C, and CX3C chemokines, but does not bind
human B cell–specific nor mouse neutrophil–specific CXC chemokines. This herpesvirus …
Chemokines are a family of small proteins that interact with seven-transmembrane domain receptors and modulate the migration of immune cells into sites of inflammation and infection. The murine gammaherpesvirus 68 M3 gene encodes a secreted 44-kD protein with no sequence similarity to known chemokine receptors. We show that M3 binds a broad range of chemokines, including CC, CXC, C, and CX3C chemokines, but does not bind human B cell–specific nor mouse neutrophil–specific CXC chemokines. This herpesvirus chemokine binding protein (hvCKBP) blocks the interaction of chemokines with high-affinity cellular receptors and inhibits chemokine-induced elevation of intracellular calcium levels. hvCKBP is the first soluble chemokine receptor identified in herpesviruses; it represents a novel protein structure with the ability to bind all subfamilies of chemokines in solution and has potential therapeutic applications.
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