Grant: Project Grant

Infection with a common herpesvirus called cytomegalovirus (CMV) causes accumulation of natural killer cells (NK) that look and act differently than conventional NK. These unconventional NK are specialized to kill infected or malignant host cells bearing antibodies against antigens expressed on the host cell surface. Such killing can effectively eliminate tumor cells and limit the replication of infectious agents that would otherwise cause disease. We propose to learn how CMV infection activates these NK, what makes them specialized to kill antibody-bearing targets and how their growth and functions are regulated. A better understanding of these features will help with novel ways to prevent and treat a broad range of infections and cancers.