Human Cytomegalovirus-Induced Autophagy Prevents Necroptosis of Infected Monocytes

Abstract

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is endemic throughout the world, with a seroprevalence of 40 to 100% depending on geographic location. HCMV infection is generally asymptomatic, but can cause severe inflammatory organ diseases in immunocompromised individuals. The broad array of organ diseases caused by HCMV is directly linked to the systematic spread of the virus mediated by monocytes. Monocytes are naturally programmed to undergo apoptosis, which is rapidly blocked by HCMV to ensure the survival and dissemination of infected monocytes to different organ sites. In this work, we demonstrate infected monocytes also initiate necroptosis as a “trap door” death pathway in response to HCMV subversion of apoptosis. HCMV then activates cellular autophagy as a countermeasure to prevent the execution of necroptosis, thereby promoting the continued survival of infected monocytes. Elucidating the mechanisms by which HCMV stimulates monocyte survival is an important step to the development of novel anti-HCMV drugs that prevent the spread of infected monocytes.