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Updated: May 14, 2026
08:32
Dissecting Innate Immune Signaling in Viral Evasion of Cytokine Production
Published on: March 2, 2014
Interferon-induced ISG15 pathway: an ongoing virus-host battle.
Chen Zhao1, Mark N Collins, Tien-Ying Hsiang
1Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Trends in Microbiology
|February 19, 2013
Summary
Interferon-induced ISG15 protein has antiviral properties. Influenza B virus uniquely evades human ISG15, explaining its species restriction.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
Background:
- Interferon (IFN)-induced ISG15 is a ubiquitin-like protein.
- ISG15 conjugation and free ISG15 exhibit antiviral activities.
- ISG15 sequence varies across species, unlike conserved ubiquitin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the antiviral role of ISG15 conjugation.
- To examine viral countermeasures against ISG15.
- To understand the species-specific countermeasure by influenza B virus.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of ISG15 function and viral interactions.
- Analysis of viral evasion strategies targeting ISG15.
- Comparative analysis of ISG15 across species.
Main Results:
- ISG15 conjugation and free ISG15 inhibit viral replication.
- Viruses employ diverse strategies to counteract ISG15.
- Influenza B virus uniquely targets human and primate ISG15, but not other species' ISG15.
Conclusions:
- ISG15 plays a crucial role in innate antiviral immunity.
- Viral countermeasures against ISG15 are diverse and species-specific.
- Influenza B virus's species specificity is linked to its ability to block primate ISG15, restricting it to humans.
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