Nuclear membrane-derived autophagy, a novel process that participates in the presentation of endogenous viral antigens during HSV-1 infection

Complex membrane trafficking events are involved in the regulation of antigen processing and presentation of both endogenous and exogenous antigens. While these processes were believed to involve mainly organelles along the endo/phagocytic and the biosynthetic pathways, recent studies have shown that autophagy also participates actively in both innate and adaptive immunity. We have shown recently that, in macrophages infected with the Herpes simplex type 1 virus, autophagy plays a key role in the targeting of viral proteins to hydrolytic compartments, and their processing for presentation on MHC class I molecules. This pathway involves a novel type of autophagosomes formed by coiling of the nuclear membrane where viral proteins are highly enriched. The ability to enhance the contribution of autophagy to antigen presentation in various conditions suggests that this pathway could be used to boost the immune response against viral infection and develop new vaccines.