Publications by authors named "Rachid El Morabiti"

Conventional antiviral memory CD4 T cells typically arise during the first two weeks of acute infection. Unlike most viruses, cytomegalovirus (CMV) exhibits an extended persistent replication phase followed by lifelong latency accompanied with some gene expression. We show that during mouse CMV (MCMV) infection, CD4 T cells recognizing an epitope derived from the viral M09 protein only develop after conventional memory T cells have already peaked and contracted.

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Cytomegalovirus (CMV) establishes a lifelong infection facilitated, in part, by circumventing immune defenses mediated by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-family cytokines. An example of this is the mouse CMV (MCMV) m166 protein, which restricts expression of the TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) death receptors, promoting early-phase replication. We show here that replication of an MCMV mutant lacking m166 is also severely attenuated during viral persistence in the salivary glands (SG).

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Article Synopsis
  • Recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns triggers innate immune responses, with cGAMP serving as a crucial DNA sensor that activates IFN-I through STING.
  • cGAMP has a dual role in inflammasome activation, providing a priming signal by enhancing inflammasome component expression and a second activation signal when paired with additional stimuli.
  • In mouse models, the cGAS/cGAMP pathway boosts both inflammasome signaling and IFN-I production, which are essential for effectively responding to DNA virus infections like murine cytomegalovirus.
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