Antiviral RNA interference in mammals

•Mammalian cells produce abundant viral siRNAs in response to distinct RNA viruses.•Three mammalian viruses encode potent dsRNA-binding viral suppressors of RNAi.•The RNAi pathway confers antiviral activity in mammalian host cells.•Antiviral RNAi can act independently of IFN-I antiviral response. In...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current opinion in immunology 2018-10, Vol.54, p.109-114
Main Authors: Ding, Shou-Wei, Han, Qingxia, Wang, Jinyan, Li, Wan-Xiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Humans
Mammals - genetics
Mammals - virology
Protective Agents
RNA Interference - physiology
RNA, Viral - genetics
Virus Diseases - genetics
Virus Diseases - prevention & control
Virus Diseases - virology
Viruses - genetics
Viruses - immunology
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Summary:•Mammalian cells produce abundant viral siRNAs in response to distinct RNA viruses.•Three mammalian viruses encode potent dsRNA-binding viral suppressors of RNAi.•The RNAi pathway confers antiviral activity in mammalian host cells.•Antiviral RNAi can act independently of IFN-I antiviral response. Infection of plants and insects with RNA and DNA viruses triggers Dicer-dependent production of virus-derived small interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs), which subsequently guide specific virus clearance by RNA interference (RNAi). Consistent with a major antiviral function of RNAi, productive virus infection in these eukaryotic hosts depends on the expression of virus-encoded suppressors of RNAi (VSRs). The eukaryotic RNAi pathway is highly conserved, particularly between insects and mammals. This review will discuss key recent findings that indicate a natural antiviral function of the RNAi pathway in mammalian cells. We will summarize the properties of the characterized mammalian vsiRNAs and VSRs and highlight important questions remaining to be addressed on the function and mechanism of mammalian antiviral RNAi.
ISSN:0952-7915
1879-0372
DOI:10.1016/j.coi.2018.06.010