This review describes the diverse array of pathways and molecular targets that are used by viruses to elude immune detection and destruction. These include targeting of pathways for major histocompatibility complex-restricted antigen presentation, apoptosis, cytokine-mediated signaling, and humoral immune responses. The continuous interactions between host and pathogens during their coevolution have shaped the immune system, but also the counter measures used by pathogens. Further study of their interactions should improve our ability to manipulate and exploit the various pathogens.

A population of human T cells expressing an invariant Vα24JαQ T cell antigen receptor (TCR) α chain and high levels of CD161 (NKR-P1A) appears to play an immunoregulatory role through production of both T helper (Th) type 1 and Th2 cytokines. Unlike other CD161+ T cells, the major histocompatibility complex–like nonpolymorphic CD1d molecule is the target for the TCR expressed by these T cells (Vα24invt T cells) and by the homologous murine NK1 (NKR-P1C)+ T cell population. In this report, CD161 was shown to act as a specific costimulatory molecule for TCR-mediated proliferation and cytokine secretion by Vα24invt T cells. However, in contrast to results in the mouse, ligation of CD161 in the absence of TCR stimulation did not result in Vα24invt T cell activation, and costimulation through CD161 did not cause polarization of the cytokine secretion pattern. CD161 monoclonal antibodies specifically inhibited Vα24invt T cell proliferation and cytokine secretion in response to CD1d+ target cells, demonstrating a physiological accessory molecule function for CD161. However, CD1d-restricted target cell lysis by activated Vα24invt T cells, which involved a granule-mediated exocytotic mechanism, was CD161-independent. In further contrast to the mouse, the signaling pathway involved in Vα24invt T cell costimulation through CD161 did not appear to involve stable association with tyrosine kinase p56Lck. These results demonstrate a role for CD161 as a novel costimulatory molecule for TCR-mediated recognition of CD1d by human Vα24invt T cells.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) US10 encodes a glycoprotein that binds to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I heavy chains. While expression of US10 delays the normal trafficking of MHC class I molecules out of the endoplasmic reticulum, US10 does not obviously facilitate or inhibit the action of two other HCMV-encoded MHC class I binding proteins, US2 and US11.