Open AccessSignal transduction in the type I interferon system and viral countermeasures
Author(s) -
Brzózka Krzysztof,
Pfaller Christian,
Conzelmann KarlKlaus
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
signal transduction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1615-4061
pISSN - 1615-4053
DOI - 10.1002/sita.200600115
Subject(s) - irf3 , biology , irf7 , interferon , innate immune system , signal transduction , microbiology and biotechnology , interferon regulatory factors , immune system , acquired immune system , rig i , trif , pattern recognition receptor , mda5 , transcription factor , gene , toll like receptor , rna , immunology , genetics , rna interference
Type I interferons (IFN) including IFNα/β are cytokines of the immune system with critical functions in innate and adaptive immune response. Secreted IFN acts via JAK/STAT signaling pathways to direct a huge gene expression program, including antiviral, apoptotic, survival and immune genes. Only recently, the molecular patterns and their receptors as well as the connected signaling pathways leading to transcriptional activation of IFN genes have been elucidated. Ubiquitous cytosolic RNA helicases like RIG‐I which sense intracellular triphosphate RNAs and activate the IFN‐controlling transcription factors IRF3 and IRF7 seem to play a major role in antiviral defense and immunity. Recognition of extracellular nucleic acids by a subset of Toll‐like receptors in addition contributes to a generalized host IFN response. During co‐evolution with the host, viruses have learned to counteract every piece of the IFN network. Learning from viruses how to target the IFN system may lead us to novel strategies for therapeutic intervention.