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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

A High Resolution Method to Monitor Phosphorylation-dependent Activation of IRF3
Published on: January 24, 2016
A role for IRF3-dependent RXRalpha repression in hepatotoxicity associated with viral infections
Edward K Chow1, Antonio Castrillo, Arash Shahangian
1Molecular Biology Institute, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Abstract:
Viral infections and antiviral responses have been linked to several metabolic diseases, including Reye's syndrome, which is aspirin-induced hepatotoxicity in the context of a viral infection. We identify an interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3)-dependent but type I interferon-independent pathway that strongly inhibits the expression of retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha) and suppresses the induction of its downstream target genes, including those involved in hepatic detoxification. Activation of IRF3 by viral infection in vivo greatly enhances bile acid- and aspirin-induced hepatotoxicity. Our results provide a critical link between the innate immune response and host metabolism, identifying IRF3-mediated down-regulation of RXRalpha as a molecular mechanism for pathogen-associated metabolic diseases.
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