Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026
08:32
Dissecting Innate Immune Signaling in Viral Evasion of Cytokine Production
Published on: March 2, 2014
Innate immunity modulation in virus entry.
Mathias Faure1, Chantal Rabourdin-Combe
1Université de Lyon, France. mathias.faure@inserm.fr
Current Opinion in Virology
|March 24, 2012
Summary
Viruses evade innate immunity by subverting cellular entry mechanisms and pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Some viruses use PRRs for entry while others dampen immune responses upon entry, potentially using autophagy to enhance infectivity.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Cellular entry is a critical step for viral infection, exposing viruses to the host's innate immune system, particularly pattern recognition receptors (PRRs).
- Viruses have evolved diverse strategies to counteract PRR-mediated innate immunity, often targeting the initial stages of cell entry.
- While soluble PRRs are frequently evaded, endocytic/phagocytic PRRs are often exploited by viruses for cellular entry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the intricate interplay between viral entry mechanisms and the host's innate immune surveillance.
- To elucidate how viruses circumvent or manipulate pattern recognition receptor (PRR) detection during cellular entry.
- To explore the potential role of virion-associated proteins and autophagy in subverting antiviral responses post-entry.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of viral entry pathways and their interaction with cellular receptors.
- Investigation of PRR recognition evasion strategies employed by various viruses.
- Examination of the impact of virion proteins on innate immune signaling.
- Study of viral hijacking of cellular processes like autophagy.
Main Results:
- Viruses commonly escape soluble PRR detection but frequently utilize endocytic/phagocytic PRRs, such as DC-SIGN and mannose receptor, for cell entry.
- Virion-incorporated proteins can actively dampen innate antiviral immunity following viral entry.
- Evidence suggests that entering viruses may co-opt the autophagy pathway to enhance their own infectivity and propagation.
Conclusions:
- Viral entry is a key battleground where viruses employ sophisticated strategies to evade or subvert innate immune detection by PRRs.
- Exploitation of endocytic PRRs and manipulation of host cell machinery like autophagy are critical viral tactics for successful infection.
- Understanding these viral evasion mechanisms is crucial for developing effective antiviral therapies targeting early infection stages.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens
The immune system's response to viral infections is a complex and coordinated process involving natural killer (NK) cells, T cell-mediated responses, and antibody-mediated responses.
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
01:30Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
Protein synthesis is indispensable for viral replication, as viruses lack the cellular machinery required for this process and must hijack the host's translational apparatus. In response, host cells deploy a critical innate immune defense involving interferons, specialized cytokines that play a central role in inhibiting viral propagation.Upon viral detection, infected cells release interferons that bind to receptors on adjacent uninfected cells, activating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and...
00:56Viral Structure
Viruses are extraordinarily diverse in shape and size, but they all have several structural features in common. All viruses have a core that contains a DNA- or RNA-based genome. The core is surrounded by a protective coat of proteins called the capsid. The capsid is composed of subunits called capsomeres. The capsid and genome-containing core are together known as the nucleocapsid.
01:27Influenza
Influenza is an acute, highly communicable viral disease that affects the respiratory tract and is responsible for seasonal epidemics worldwide. Influenza A is the most prevalent type associated with widespread outbreaks and is subtyped based on two surface glycoproteins: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N), as in H1N1. These glycoproteins are essential for viral infectivity, transmission, and immune recognition. Transmission occurs primarily through respiratory droplets and contaminated...
01:21Introduction to Innate and Adaptive Immunity
The human immune system is a complex defense mechanism that protects the body from harmful pathogens and foreign substances. It comprises two crucial components: innate and adaptive immunity.
Innate immunity is the body's natural, nonspecific defense system that acts quickly to protect against pathogens. It incorporates physical barriers like skin and mucous membranes and cellular elements such as phagocytes and natural killer cells. This part of our immune system provides an immediate,...
Innate immunity is the body's natural, nonspecific defense system that acts quickly to protect against pathogens. It incorporates physical barriers like skin and mucous membranes and cellular elements such as phagocytes and natural killer cells. This part of our immune system provides an immediate,...
01:28Introduction to Virus
Viruses are unique biological entities that blur the boundary between living and non-living systems. Although they lack cellular structure and metabolic processes, they can exhibit characteristics of life when infecting a host. Their defining feature is a nucleic acid core, composed of either DNA or RNA, encapsulated within a protein coat called a capsid. This simple structure allows them to invade host cells and use their machinery for replication efficiently.Viral Structure and...