Henipaviruses Employ a Multifaceted Approach to Evade the Antiviral Interferon Response
2009
Henipaviruses and Their Antiviral Strategies
publication
10 minutes
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Shaw Megan L.
Primary Institution: Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Hypothesis
How do henipaviruses evade the antiviral interferon response?
Conclusion
Henipaviruses employ multiple proteins to inhibit the host's interferon response, contributing to their pathogenicity.
Supporting Evidence
- Henipaviruses can block multiple signaling pathways in the interferon response.
- The P, V, and W proteins of henipaviruses share a common mechanism to inhibit STAT signaling.
- Nipah virus has been shown to edit its P gene at a high frequency to express different proteins.
- Direct bat-to-human transmission of henipaviruses is suspected, with evidence of human-to-human transmission.
Takeaway
Henipaviruses have special tricks to hide from the body's defenses, making it hard for us to fight them off.
Methodology
The study reviews the mechanisms by which henipaviruses inhibit the interferon response, focusing on the roles of various viral proteins.
Limitations
The need for biosafety level 4 conditions limits experimental exploration of these mechanisms.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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