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Updated: Aug 14, 2025

Using Zebrafish Models of Human Influenza A Virus Infections to Screen Antiviral Drugs and Characterize Host Immune Cell Responses
Published on: January 20, 2017
IL-27 suppresses spring viremia of carp virus replication in zebrafish
Yanjie Shi1, Kangyong Chen1, Xin Zhao1
1Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China.
Abstract:
Interleukin (IL) 27 is a member of the IL-12 family and is a heterodimeric cytokine composed of IL-27A and Epstein-Barr virus-induced 3 (EBI3). It plays an important role in regulating inflammation and cancer progression. IL-27A not only functions by dimerizing with EBI3 but also acts alone. Here, we report that IL-27A and EBI3 suppress spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) replication in zebrafish. Expression analysis reveals that il-27a and ebi3 were significantly upregulated in the ZF4 cells by SVCV and poly(I:C), and in the zebrafish caudal fin (ZFIN) cells overexpressed with SVCV genes. Interestingly, il-27a and ebi3 were not modulated by IFNφ1, indicating that they are not IFN stimulated genes (ISGs). Furthermore, overexpression of IL-27A and EBI3 alone inhibited SVCV replication in the EPC cells, but less potent than co-expression of IL-27A and EBI3. Intriguingly, IL-27A could not induce the expression of irf3, ifn, isg15 and mx1. Taken together, our results demonstrate that IL-27A and EBI3 activate innate antiviral response in an IFN independent manner in zebrafish.

