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Type I Interferon: Monkeypox/Mpox Viruses Achilles Heel?

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Poxviruses are notorious for having acquired/evolved numerous genes to counteract host innate immunity. Chordopoxviruses have acquired/evolved at least three different inhibitors of host necroptotic death: E3, which blocks ZBP1-dependent necroptotic cell death, and vIRD and vMLKL that inhibit necroptosis downstream of initial cell death signaling. While this suggests the importance of the necroptotic cell death pathway in inhibiting chordopoxvirus replication, several chordopoxviruses have lost one or more of these inhibitory functions. Monkeypox/mpox virus (MPXV) hasMonkeypox/mpox virus lost a portion of the N-terminus of its E3 homologue. The N-terminus of the vaccinia virus E3 homologue serves to inhibit activation of the interferon-inducible antiviral protein, ZBP1. This likely makes MPXV unique among the orthopoxvirusesOrthopoxviruses in being sensitive to interferonInterferon (IFN) treatment in many mammals, including humans, which encode a complete necroptotic cell death pathway. Thus, IFN sensitivity may be the Achille’s Heel for viruses like MPXV that cannot fully inhibit IFN-inducible, ZBP1-dependent antiviral pathways.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAdvances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
PublisherSpringer
Pages125-137
Number of pages13
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024

Publication series

NameAdvances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
Volume1451
ISSN (Print)0065-2598
ISSN (Electronic)2214-8019

Keywords

  • Interferon
  • Monkeypox/mpox virus
  • Orthopoxviruses
  • RIPK3 (receptor-interacting protein kinase 3)
  • Z-DNA
  • Z-RNA
  • ZBP1 (Z-DNA-binding protein 1)

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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