SnapShot: Pathways of Antiviral Innate Immunity

Viral diseases remain a challenging global health issue. Innate immunity is the first line of defense against viral infection. A hallmark of antiviral innate immune responses is the production of type 1 interferons and inflammatory cytokines. These molecules not only rapidly contain viral infection by inhibiting viral replication and assembly but also play a crucial role in activating the adaptive immune system to eradicate the virus. Recent research has unveiled multiple signaling pathways that detect viral infection, with several pathways detecting the presence of viral nucleic acids. This SnapShot focuses on innate signaling pathways triggered by viral nucleic acids that are delivered to the cytosol and endosomes of mammalian host cells.