Cowpox virus has been found to encode the inflammation modulatory protein (IMP) (Miller, C.G., 1997), a homologue vaccinia virus complement control protein (VCP). VCP belongs to regulation of complement activation (RCA) protein superfamily. It has been shown to inhibit both the alternative and classical pathways of complement activation by binding to the proteins C3 and C4, thereby preventing complementmediated opsonisation of virus, antibody-mediated lysis of infected cells and migration of inflammatory cells into the site of infection. VCP also possesses heparin binding sites.
Reference:
Paulsen, J. 2007. A comparative analysis of cowpox virus (CPV WT) and a deletion mutant lacking the gene encoding the inflammation modulatory protein (CPV IMP). University of Cape Town.
Paulsen, J. (2007). A comparative analysis of cowpox virus (CPV WT) and a deletion mutant lacking the gene encoding the inflammation modulatory protein (CPV IMP). (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of Virology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/2733
Paulsen, Janis. "A comparative analysis of cowpox virus (CPV WT) and a deletion mutant lacking the gene encoding the inflammation modulatory protein (CPV IMP)." Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of Virology, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/2733
Paulsen J. A comparative analysis of cowpox virus (CPV WT) and a deletion mutant lacking the gene encoding the inflammation modulatory protein (CPV IMP). [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of Virology, 2007 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/2733
