The immunogenicity of human and murine cytomegaloviruses

Cytomegaloviruses are strictly host-species-specific. During an aeon of co- evolution, virus and host have found an arrangement: the productive and cyt opathogenic cycle of viral gene expression is held in check by the host's i mmune response. As a consequence, cytomegalavirus disease is restricted to the immunocompromised host. The virus has evolved strategies to avoid its e limination and eventually hides itself in a silent state, referred to as 'v iral latency'. Redundant molecular mechanisms have been identified by which cytomegaloviruses interfere with antigen presentation pathways to 'evade' immune control. In the annual period covered by this review, the IE1 protei n was revisited as an immunodominant antigen of human cytomegalovirus and t he identification of a first antigenic early-phase peptide of murine cytome galovirus that escapes viral immunosubversive mechanisms may initiate a per iod of research on the immune control of cytomegaloviruses 'beyond immune e vasion'.