The HCMV chemokine receptor US28 is a potential target in vascular disease

Curr Drug Targets Infect Disord. 2001 Aug;1(2):151-8. doi: 10.2174/1568005014606080.

Abstract

The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has been implicated in the acceleration of vascular disease for some time. The development of vascular disease involves a chronic inflammatory process with many contributing factors, and of these, chemokines and their receptors have recently been identified as key mediators. Interestingly, HCMV encodes four potential chemokine receptors (US27, US28, UL33 and UL78). Of these virally-encoded chemokine receptors, US28 has been the most widely characterized. US28 binds many of the CC-chemokines, and this class of chemokines contributes to the development of vascular disease. Importantly, HCMV infection mediates in vitro SMC migration, which is dependent upon expression of US28 and CC-chemokine binding. US28 and the US28 functional homologues that are capable of inducing the migration of SMC represent potential targets in the treatment of CMV-accelerated vascular disease such as atherosclerosis, restenosis, and transplant vascular sclerosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Chemokines / physiology
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / drug therapy*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Humans
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / cytology
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / drug effects
  • Receptors, Chemokine / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Receptors, Chemokine / physiology
  • Vascular Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Viral Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Viral Proteins / physiology

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Chemokines
  • Receptors, Chemokine
  • US28 receptor, Cytomegalovirus
  • Viral Proteins