HMGB1 and infection: PMNS are recruited to the cornea by macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2, and the neutralization of this chemokine resulted in fewer infiltrating PMNs and less corneal damage but no change in bacterial counts (Figure 2) [117] An alarmin, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), induces proinflammatory signals including the production of MIP-2 during these infections and can be downregulated by vasoactive intestinal peptide [118,119].