RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Barnes, Penelope D. A1 Grundy, Jane E.YR 1992 T1 Down-regulation of the class I HLA heterodimer and β2-microglobulin on the surface of cells infected with cytomegalovirus JF Journal of General Virology, VO 73 IS 9 SP 2395 OP 2403 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-73-9-2395 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2099, AB Cytotoxic T cell recognition of virus-infected cells requires the presentation of viral peptides by class I HLA molecules on the cell surface. We report here that cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection of human fibroblasts results in a progressive decrease in the cell surface expression of class I HLA and β2-microglobulin (β2m) such that in the late stages of infection the majority of infected cells have no detectable surface class I HLA. Coincident with decreased surface expression of class I HLA was an increase in his cytoplasmic expression. Confocal scanning laser microscopic analysis demonstrated that class I HLA and β2m accumulate in a perinuclear compartment inside the CMV-infected cell. Our data thus support the concept that CMV infection induces altered transport of class I HLA to the cell surface. We suggest that the virus has evolved this mechanism as a strategy to avoid T cell recognition of infected cells., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/0022-1317-73-9-2395