# Optimization of CMV Vector CD8+ T Cell Response Programming by Modification of Vector Tropism

> **NIH NIH U19** · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $371,423

## Abstract

Project 2 Summary
CMV can replicate in a wide variety of cells and tissues in the host, including fibroblasts, myeloid-derived cells,
endothelial cells, and a variety of epithelial cells. In the past few years we have discovered that vector tropism
plays a major role in CMV vector immunogenicity and efficacy. We found that the 68-1 RhCMV/SIV vectors
that are associated with stringent protection against highly pathogenic SIV challenge elicit SIV-specific CD8+ T
cells that were highly unusual in their epitope targeting. Rather than recognize SIV peptides in the context of
classical MHC-Ia molecules, these CD8+ T cells broadly targeted SIV epitopes presented in the context of
either MHC-II or non-classical MHC-E molecules. This unusual response phenotype was found to be due to
the loss of the Rh157.5 (UL128) and Rh157.4 (UL130) genes in the 68-1 RhCMV vector, as repair of these
genes in the 68-1.2 RhCMV vectors reverted the vector-elicited CD8+ T cell responses back to conventional
MHC-Ia restriction. Remarkably, in 2 independent experiments, these Rh157.5/Rh157.4-repaired 68-1.2 RCMV
vectors, though equivalently immunogenic in terms of response magnitude and phenotype as their
ΔRh157.5/Rh157.4 68-1 RhCMV vector counterparts, were found not to protect against SIV challenge, strongly
suggesting that the unconventionally restricted CD8+ T cells associated with 68-1 vectors are required for
efficacy. Rh157.5 and Rh157.4 are 2 essential components of the pentameric receptor complex (PRC)
involved in facilitating CMV infection of non-fibroblasts. Further work demonstrated that specific loss of PRC
function partially recapitulates the unconventional CD8+ T cell responses of 68-1 RhCMV vectors, resulting in
vectors that elicit a mixture of MHC-II- and MHC-Ia-restricted responses. This phenotype was mimicked by
PRC-independent modification of the tropism of PRC–intact RhCMV vectors using microRNA (miR)-142
restriction, which prevents vector infection of myeloid-derived cells, suggesting that absence of PRC function in
RhCMV vectors (and the resultant less efficient vector infection of myeloid cells) promotes the induction of
MHC-II-restricted CD8+ T cell responses. Interestingly, MHC-E-restricted CD8+ T cell responses appear to
require infection of myeloid-derived cells for their generation, as MiR-142 restriction of the strain 68-1 RhCMV
vector completely prevents MHC-E-restricted response priming, leaving MHC-II response priming intact. In this
project, we seek to define the role of vector tropism in CMV vector CD8+ T cell response programming, and to
exploit this biology to focus vector immunogenicity on the most efficacious response type. We will 1) determine
how in vivo tropism of CMV vectors that differentially induce conventionally (MHC-Ia) restricted vs.
unconventionally (MHC-E- and MHC-II-) restricted CD8+ T cell responses differ in infected tissues, 2) define
the target cell tropism requirements for CMV vector-elicited MHC-E- and MHC-II-restricted...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9883710
- **Project number:** 5U19AI128741-04
- **Recipient organization:** OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** JAY A NELSON
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $371,423
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9883710

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9883710, Optimization of CMV Vector CD8+ T Cell Response Programming by Modification of Vector Tropism (5U19AI128741-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9883710. Licensed CC0.

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