18th International Mouse Genome Conference
17-22 October 2004, Seattle, USA
Plenary Presentations * Oral
Presentations * Poster
Abstracts * Photos
Verne Chapman Memorial Lecture * Table
of Contents * Attendees * Awards
PLENARY PRESENTATION
THURSDAY OCTOBER 21
8.30am – 9.00am
Genetics of host resistance to cytomegalovirus infection: Role of h2 and nk receptors
Vidal S
McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection can cause life-threatening disease in immunodeficient hosts. Experimental infection in mice has revealed that natural resistance to mouse CMV is genetically determined and mediated by binding of the natural killer (NK) cell activating receptor Ly49H to the pathogen-encoded glycoprotein m157. Novel data indicate multiple NK cell receptor gene mechanisms, including genetic and functional interactions with MHC receptor genes, that are crucial to the recognition of the infected cells and the eradication of the infection.