Figure 1

UL16 protects HCMV infected fibroblasts from NK cell cytotoxicity. Hs27 fibroblasts were mock infected or infected with either the laboratory strain of CMV, AD169, or with the same strain of virus lacking UL16, ΔUL16. 48 hours after infection, these cells were used as targets in cytotoxicity assays (see methods) at the E:T ratios indicated. The percentage of specific lysis is depicted. This result is representative of six experiments using in each one, as targets, the two lines of human fibroblasts HFFF2 and Hs27. In the different experiments NK cell lines from different donors were used as effectors. Diamonds - uninfected cells, squares - HCMV infected cells, triangles - ΔUL16 infected cells.