Viral evasion of the MHC class I antigen-processing machinery.

In their adaptation to the immune system in vertebrates, viruses have been forced to evolve elaborate strategies for evading the host's immune response. To ensure life-long persistence in the host, herpes viruses, adenoviruses and retroviruses have exploited multiple cellular pathways for their purpose, including the class I antigen-processing machinery. Attractive and prominent targets for viral attacks are the proteasome complex, the transporter associated with antigen processing, and MHC class I molecules. This review briefly outlines the different mechanisms of viral interference with the antigen-presentation pathway.