Open AccessViperin interaction with mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) limits viperin-mediated inhibition of the interferon response in macrophages
Author(s) -
Jia Shee Hee,
Peter Cresswell
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0172236
Subject(s) - interferon , biology , innate immune system , antiviral protein , virology , mda5 , microbiology and biotechnology , interferon regulatory factors , tlr3 , viral replication , mitochondrion , immune system , rna , virus , immunology , rna interference , genetics , toll like receptor , gene
Viperin is an antiviral protein that is upregulated by interferons and by ligands for a variety of innate immune receptors. It possesses diverse capabilities and functions in an array of viral infections. Studies have shown that it appears to be particularly important in defence against RNA viruses, such as West Nile, Dengue, and Chikungunya viruses, although the specific mechanisms involved are not well understood at the molecular level. Here we identify the mitochondrial antiviral signalling protein MAVS as a novel viperin interaction partner, most likely in mitochondria associated membranes, and characterize a more central, overarching role of viperin as a negative regulator of the interferon response, an ability that can be regulated by the viperin-MAVS interaction. This suggests a novel mechanism of viperin action in immune defence against RNA viruses by which it may prevent pathology from excessive immune responses.