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Viral complement regulatory proteins.
1Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, USA. aroseng@mail.med.upenn.edu
Immunopharmacology
|July 17, 1999
Summary
Viruses evade immune responses by acquiring host complement regulatory proteins. This review focuses on viral proteins that mimic mammalian complement control protein (CCP) repeats to avoid complement-mediated attack.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- The complement system is crucial for innate immunity, protecting against pathogens.
- Viruses have evolved strategies to evade complement-mediated destruction and immune surveillance.
- Complement regulatory proteins (CRPs) control complement activation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review viral strategies for acquiring or producing complement regulatory proteins.
- To focus on viral homologues of mammalian CRPs containing complement control protein (CCP) repeats.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of viral immune evasion mechanisms.
- Analysis of viral proteins mimicking mammalian CRPs.
- Focus on proteins with complement control protein (CCP) domains.
Main Results:
- Viruses acquire host CRPs or express their own viral CRPs.
- Viral CRPs can be secreted or membrane-bound.
- Many viral CRPs contain CCP repeats, similar to host CRPs.
Conclusions:
- Viral acquisition and expression of CRPs are key immune evasion tactics.
- Understanding viral CCP-containing proteins is vital for comprehending virus-host interactions.
- These viral proteins offer insights into complement regulation and viral pathogenesis.