New insights into the subversion of the chemokine system by poxviruses

Abstract

Viruses encode immune evasion mechanisms to survive in the immunocompetent host. Chemokines mediate the migration of immune cells and their critical role in immunity is emphasized by the numerous virus-encoded strategies to modulate their activity. Evidence published in this issue of the European Journal of Immunology uncovers novel mechanisms encoded by vaccinia virus to inhibit the chemokine-mediated migration of DC, an important event in the initiation of the immune response to viral infections.