Immune modulation by proteins secreted from cells infected by vaccinia virus

• Published in: Archives of virology Vol. 15; pp. 111 - 129
• Main Authors: Smith, G.L, Symons, J.A, Alcami, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Austria 1999
• Subjects: Animals; binding proteins; Chemokines, CC - metabolism; cytokines; Humans; inhibitors; Interferon Type I - metabolism; interferons; Interleukin-1 - metabolism; interleukins; Neutralization Tests; Protein Binding; Vaccinia - immunology; Vaccinia - virology; Vaccinia virus; Vaccinia virus - growth & development; Vaccinia virus - immunology; Vaccinia virus - metabolism; Viral Proteins - immunology; Viral Proteins - metabolism; virulence
• ISSN: 0304-8608; 0939-1983; 1432-8798
• DOI: 10.1007/978-3-7091-6425-9_8

Vaccinia virus comprises the live vaccine that was used for vaccination against smallpox. Following the eradication of smallpox, vaccinia virus was developed as an expression vector that is now used widely in biological research and vaccine development. In recent years vaccinia virus and other poxviruses have been found to express a collection of proteins that block parts of the host response to infection. Some of these proteins are secreted from the infected cell where they bind and neutralise host cytokines, chemokines and interferons (IFN). In this paper three such proteins that bind interleukin (IL)-1 beta, type I IFNs and CC chemokines are described. The study of these immunomodulatory molecules is enhancing our understanding of virus pathogenesis, yielding fundamental information about the immune system, and providing new molecules that have potential application for the treatment of immunological disorders or infectious diseases.