Virokines are proteins encoded by some large DNA viruses that are secreted by the host cell and serve to evade the host's immune system. Such proteins are referred to as virokines if they resemble cytokines, growth factors, or complement regulators; the term viroceptor is sometimes used if the proteins resemble cellular receptors. A third class of virally encoded immunomodulatory proteins consists of proteins that bind directly to cytokines. Due to the immunomodulatory properties of these proteins, they have been proposed as potentially therapeutically relevant to autoimmune diseases.