Cytomegalovirus antigens (CMV antigens) (CMV)

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigens are a diverse set of proteins encoded by the Human Betaherpesvirus 5 genome that are essential for viral structure, replication, and interaction with the host immune system. Key immunodominant antigens include Phosphoprotein 65 (pp65), which is a major target for the cellular immune response, and Glycoprotein B (gB), which is critical for viral attachment and entry into host cells (Source: UniProt, P06473). These antigens are the primary targets for various therapeutic interventions, including vaccines designed to elicit protective immunity and adoptive T-cell therapies that restore viral control in immunocompromised patients, such as those undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Source: PubMed, PMID: 27208143). Additionally, specific viral proteins like the UL97 kinase and the UL56/51/89 terminase complex serve as targets for small-molecule antiviral drugs like maribavir and letermovir (Source: FDA). Monitoring the immune response to these antigens through biomarkers like CMV-specific T-cell counts and viral DNA load is crucial for clinical management and assessing the risk of symptomatic disease (Source: NIH). These therapies aim to neutralize the virus or eliminate infected cells by leveraging the specificity of the immune system toward these viral proteins.

Other names

HCMV antigensHuman cytomegalovirus antigensCMV proteinsCytomegalovirus antigens – immune systemGlycoprotein BPhosphoprotein 65Pentameric complexCMV antigens

Therapeutic strategies involve passive immunization with neutralizing antibodies to prevent viral entry, active vaccination to induce protective T-cell and B-cell memory, and adoptive transfer of CMV-specific T-cells to restore cellular immunity in immunocompromised hosts.