CYTOKINE RECEPTORS ENCODED BY POXVIRUSES - A LESSON IN CYTOKINE BIOLOGY

Poxviruses encode soluble versions of cytokine receptors, which are secreted from the infected cell to block the activity of the cognate cytokine. These viruses offer a unique model system to study the contribution of cytokines to the host response against infection. As discussed here by Antonio Alcami and Geoffrey Smith, characterization of poxvirus proteins that counteract the immune response may lend to the identification of novel cytokines or cytokine receptors, as well as novel strategies to modulate the inflammatory response.