EXPRESSION OF HUMAN-LEUKOCYTE ANTIGENS CLASS-I AND CLASS-II ON CULTURED BILIARY EPITHELIAL-CELLS AFTER CYTOMEGALOVIRUS-INFECTION

The influence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection on the HLA expression on cultured biliary epithelial cells (BEC) was investigated. CMV-infe ction augmented expression of HLA class I but not of HLA class II. CMV reduced the IFN-gamma-mediated induction of the de novo expression of HLA class II while the stimulated expression of HLA class I was not i mpaired. Autologous but not allogeneic PBL responded to CMV-infected B EC. This response resulted in upregulation of HLA class I on BEC which was significantly higher compared with the expression on infected BEC alone or on uninfected BEC cocultured with autologous PBL. The result s suggest that CMV modulates the immunogenic potential of BEC, which i s important for the HLA and CMV-mediated pathomechanisms in vivo.