A newly discovered protein acts as a central “traffic controller” for immune cells, and researchers have found that cytomegalovirus (CMV) can hijack this system to weaken the body’s defenses. This finding, published in Nature, could reshape our understanding of immune function and open new avenues for treating autoimmune diseases.
How Viruses Disrupt Immune Cell Communication
The research reveals a key mechanism controlling immune responses and how a common virus can sabotage it.
The study centers on a molecule called CD44, which appears to centrally control the network of support cells crucial for guiding immune system function. Within this network, stromal cells facilitate efficient immune cell movement and information exchange – essential for fighting infections, responding to vaccines, and maintaining overall health.
Researchers from Monash University and the Lions Eye Institute discovered that CMV produces a protein that blocks CD44 function on stromal cells. This disruption derails immune cell traffic, effectively weakening the antiviral response. “This is a completely new way for a virus to target an immune response,” explained Professor Mariapia Degli-Esposti, Head of Experimental and Viral Immunology at Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Head of Experimental Immunology at the Lions Eye Institute.
Quick fact: CD44 acts as a central traffic controller, coordinating immune cell interactions at the right place and time, much like a city’s traffic management system.
Implications for Autoimmune Disease Treatment
Professor Degli-Esposti likened the immune system to a bustling city, with millions of cells constantly patrolling for threats. “CD44 keeps immune cells moving and coordinates their interactions,” she said. “Our study identifies CD44 as a master regulator of immune cell movement and communication and shows that viruses can undermine immunity not only by attacking immune cells directly, but also by targeting the essential tissue infrastructure they rely on.”
Co-lead researcher Dr. Chris Andoniou, a Senior Research Fellow at Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and at the Lions Eye Institute, highlighted the potential for therapeutic applications. “Because CD44 plays such a central role in regulating immune activity, drugs inspired by the viral protein identified in this study could be developed to precisely dampen harmful inflammation,” Dr. Andoniou stated.
The team believes that by learning from the virus’s tactics, they may be able to design molecules that safely reduce excessive immune activation, potentially offering new treatments for autoimmune conditions. “We are still in the early stages, but this is an exciting development,” Dr. Andoniou added.
- Researchers identified CD44 as a key regulator of immune cell movement and communication.
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) can hijack CD44 to suppress the immune response.
- The findings suggest potential new targets for developing drugs to treat autoimmune diseases.
- The research, published in Nature, fundamentally changes our understanding of immune system regulation.
Publication details
Mariapia Degli-Esposti, Fibroblastic reticular cells direct initiation of T cell responses via CD44, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09988-8. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09988-8
Journal information:
Nature
