PEDV evades MHC-I-related immunity through nsp1-mediated NLRC5 translation inhibition

ABSTRACT Major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) plays crucial roles against viral infections not only by initiating CD8 + T cell immunity but also by modulating natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity. Understanding how viruses precisely regulate MHC-I to optimize their infection is important; however, the manipulation of MHC-I molecules by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that PEDV infection promotes the transcription of NLRC5, a key transactivator of MHC-I, in several porcine cell lines and in vivo . Paradoxically, no increase in MHC-I expression is observed after PEDV infection both in vitro and in vivo . Mechanistic studies revealed that PEDV infection inhibits the translation of PEDV-elicited NLRC5 mRNA and the expression of downstream MHC-I proteins, without affecting the expression of physiological NLRC5 and MHC-I proteins. Through viral protein screening, we identified PEDV nonstructural protein 1 (nsp1) as the critical antagonist that inhibits NLRC5-mediated upregulation of MHC-I, and the nsp1’s inhibitory effect on MHC-I requires the motif of 15 amino acids at its C-terminus. Notably, our results revealed that the cytotoxic ability of NK cells against PEDV-infected cells is similar to that against healthy cells. Collectively, our findings uncover an immune evasion mechanism by which PEDV-infected cells masquerade as healthy cells to evade NK and T cell immunity. This is achieved by targeting NLRC5, a key MHC-I transcriptional regulator, via nsp1. IMPORTANCE Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a highly contagious enteric coronavirus that inflicts substantial financial losses on the swine industry. Major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) is a critical factor influencing both CD8 + T cell and natural killer (NK) cell immunity. However, how PEDV manipulates MHC-I expression to optimize its infection process remains largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that PEDV’s nonstructural protein 1 (nsp1) inhibits virus-mediated induction of MHC-I expression by directly targeting NLRC5, a key MHC-I transactivator. Intriguingly, nsp1 does not reduce physiological NLRC5 and MHC-I expression. This selective inhibition of virus-elicited NLRC5 mRNA translation allows PEDV-infected cells to masquerade as healthy cells, thereby evading CD8 + T cell and NK cell cytotoxicity. Our findings provide unique insights into the mechanisms by which PEDV evades CD8 + T cell and NK cell immunity.