The human immune system is equipped with two tiers of
defense against viral infections – the innate and adaptive systems. The innate system represents the first line
of defense. Within this line of defense,
the retinoic acid – inducible gene 1 (RIG -1) – like melanoma differentiation –
associated protein 5 (MDA5) senses a broad spectrum of viruses in the form of
their cytoplasmic viral RNAs and subsequently activates antiviral innate
immunity.
Through the process of biological evolution, viruses have developed
diverse mechanisms to evade the innate immune system. It has been shown that Paramyxovirus, manages
to effectively subvert this immunological defense mechanism. How this is accomplished is poorly
understood. Dr. Carina Motz and colleagues
at the Department of Biochemistry and Gene Center at Ludwig – Maximilians University
in Munich, Germany have labored painstakingly to elucidate the mechanism of
this evasion.
They were able to demonstrate that this class of viruses
elaborates a protein product – Paramyxovirus V Protein – that is able to alter
the configuration of the host MDA5 protein in such a way as to effectively inhibit
its antiviral signaling function. The
end result of this interaction is a compromised first line of defense.
Such studies add significantly to the body of information
that helps explain how certain types of virus infections lead to disease in
spite of host defense mechanisms. This
information may prove to be invaluable in regards to potential cures and
treatments of intractable ailments.
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