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Interferon Regulatory Factor 7 Attenuates Chronic Gammaherpesvirus Infection
K E Johnson1, C A Aurubin1, C N Jondle1
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Journal of Virology
|September 24, 2020
Summary
Interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF-7) limits chronic gammaherpesvirus infection by restricting viral latency and reactivation. This innate immune factor plays a key role in controlling persistent viral infections.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Gammaherpesviruses cause lifelong infections and are linked to cancers like lymphoma.
- Interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF-7) is known to restrict acute viral replication.
- The role of IRF-7 in chronic viral infections is largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of IRF-7 in chronic gammaherpesvirus infection.
- To determine if IRF-7 influences viral latency and reactivation.
- To explore IRF-7's impact on the host immune response during chronic infection.
Main Methods:
- Utilized murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) infection model.
- Assessed viral latency in the peritoneal cavity and viral reactivation in the spleen.
- Analyzed interferon-induced gene expression and CD8 T cell responses.
Main Results:
- IRF-7 significantly restricts the establishment of gammaherpesvirus latency in the peritoneal cavity.
- IRF-7 also attenuates viral reactivation in the spleen during chronic infection.
- IRF-7's role in controlling latency is prominent in peritoneal B cells, independent of broad interferon-stimulated gene induction or CD8 T cell responses.
Conclusions:
- IRF-7 possesses a critical antiviral function during the chronic phase of gammaherpesvirus infection.
- This study is the first to define IRF-7's role in restricting chronic gammaherpesvirus infection, particularly latency.
- IRF-7's antiviral activity extends beyond acute infection, impacting persistent viral reservoirs.
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