Dagny Reese

All Publications

• Evasion of NKG2D-mediated cytotoxic immunity by sarbecoviruses CELL Hartmann, J. A., Cardoso, M. R., Talarico, M., Kenney, D. J., Leone, M. R., Reese, D. C., Turcinovic, J., O'Connell, A. K., Gertje, H. P., Marino, C., Ojeda, P. E., De Paula, E. V., Orsi, F. A., Velloso, L., Cafiero, T. R., Connor, J. H., Ploss, A., Hoelzemer, A., Carrington, M., Barczak, A. K., Crossland, N. A., Douam, F., Boucau, J., Garcia-Beltran, W. F. 2024; 187 (10): 2393-2410.e14

  Abstract

  SARS-CoV-2 and other sarbecoviruses continue to threaten humanity, highlighting the need to characterize common mechanisms of viral immune evasion for pandemic preparedness. Cytotoxic lymphocytes are vital for antiviral immunity and express NKG2D, an activating receptor conserved among mammals that recognizes infection-induced stress ligands (e.g., MIC-A/B). We found that SARS-CoV-2 evades NKG2D recognition by surface downregulation of MIC-A/B via shedding, observed in human lung tissue and COVID-19 patient serum. Systematic testing of SARS-CoV-2 proteins revealed that ORF6, an accessory protein uniquely conserved among sarbecoviruses, was responsible for MIC-A/B downregulation via shedding. Further investigation demonstrated that natural killer (NK) cells efficiently killed SARS-CoV-2-infected cells and limited viral spread. However, inhibition of MIC-A/B shedding with a monoclonal antibody, 7C6, further enhanced NK-cell activity toward SARS-CoV-2-infected cells. Our findings unveil a strategy employed by SARS-CoV-2 to evade cytotoxic immunity, identify the culprit immunevasin shared among sarbecoviruses, and suggest a potential novel antiviral immunotherapy.

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.cell.2024.03.026

  View details for Web of Science ID 001240416200001

  View details for PubMedID 38653235

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC11088510