BIOL 230 Lecture Guide - Blockage of the Binding of Peptide Epitopes from Viruses to MHC-I Molecules

Fig. 5D: Blockage of the Binding of Peptide Epitopes from Viruses to MHC-I Molecules

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) down regulates several host proteins involved in attaching viral epitopes to MHC-I molecules and displaying them on the host cell's surface. As a result, no viral peptide is displayed on the infected cell and the CTLs are no longer able to recognize that the cell is infected and kill it.