Jul 2026· Developmental and Comparative Immunology· Vol 182, pp.
105691
· 0 citations· 42 references
Medicine
TL;DR
Findings provide the first functional evidence that CMPK2 restricts RGNNV infection in S. chuatsi, highlighting a conserved interferon-responsive antiviral module in teleost fish and identifying CMPK2 as a potential antiviral effector involved in host defense against RGNNV infection.
Abstract
Nervous necrosis virus (NNV) is a major viral pathogen that causes viral nervous necrosis in a wide range of fish species and poses a serious threat to global aquaculture. However, the antiviral responses of mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi) to NNV infection remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated host antiviral responses using Chinese perch brain (CPB) cell line and in vivo infection models. Transcriptome sequencing of red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV)-infected CPB cells revealed extensive transcriptional reprogramming, with numerous interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) significantly upregulated. Comparative transcriptomic analysis across multiple teleost species identified a conserved set of ISGs induced during RGNNV infection, including CMPK2, RSAD2, DHX58, IRF3, and EPSTI1. Among these genes, CMPK2 showed strong induction in both infected CPB cells and mandarin fish brain tissues. Functional assays further demonstrated that CMPK2 overexpression significantly inhibited RGNNV replication in CPB cells and was accompanied by increased expression of several interferon-related genes. These findings provide the first functional evidence that CMPK2 restricts RGNNV infection in S. chuatsi. Our study highlights a conserved interferon-responsive antiviral module in teleost fish and identifies CMPK2 as a potential antiviral effector involved in host defense against RGNNV infection.
Mosquitoes transmit arboviruses that represent major global public health challenges. Increasing insecticide resistance and absence of effective antiviral therapies underscore the need for novel vector control strategies. Insect-specific viruses have emerged as candidates for biological control, however, the cellular mechanisms underlying their interactions with mosquito hosts remain poorly understood. Here, we examined the immune response of Aedes albopictus U4.4 cells to Kamiti River virus (KRV) infection, an insect-specific flavivirus. Cells were infected with KRV, and transcriptomic and small RNA profiles were analyzed at 24, 48 and 72 h post-infection. KRV infection induced production of virus-derived small interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs) and virus-derived PIWI-interacting RNA (vpiRNAs) from 24 to 72 h. The vsiRNAs predominantly mapped to the 3′ untranslated region of the KRV genome, whereas vpiRNAs formed distinct hotspots in regions encoding the NS1, NS3, NS4A/B and NS5 proteins. Transcriptomic analysis revealed upregulation of genes associated with the humoral immune response, including defensin, cecropin, and glutathione S-transferase, and downregulation of Toll-like receptors and ecdysone-induced transcripts at later stages of infection. These gene expression patterns suggest an early activation followed by suppression of key immune signaling pathways. Collectively, the findings indicate that KRV leads to coordinated modulation of antiviral RNAi and host transcriptional responses, consistent with a balanced, commensal-like interaction in mosquito cells.
ABSTRACT Influenza A viruses (IAVs) pose an ongoing threat to humans and other species because of their zoonotic potential. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that certain long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) exhibit differential expression during viral infection and modulate diverse facets of viral pathogenesis. As key regulatory RNAs, lncRNAs participate in fundamental physiological processes and disease progression via a wide array of functional interactions with DNA, RNA, and proteins. Here, we identified ckATP1A1-AS1 as an antiviral host lncRNA that is induced by IAV infection. Functional analyses demonstrated that ckATP1A1-AS1 overexpression restricted infection by multiple IAV subtypes, whereas ckATP1A1-AS1 knockdown enhanced viral replication. Mechanistically, during IAV infection, the transcription factor JUN transcriptionally activates ckATP1A1-AS1, which further enhances the expression of interferon-β and key interferon-stimulated genes, thereby positively regulating type I interferon immune responses. Furthermore, ckATP1A1-AS1 interacts directly with the viral nucleoprotein, competitively disrupting its binding to importin α5, impairing its oligomerization, and blocking the nuclear import of viral ribonucleoprotein complexes. Consequently, ckATP1A1-AS1 suppresses viral ribonucleoprotein assembly and reduces viral polymerase activity. These findings establish ckATP1A1-AS1 as a key antiviral lncRNA that restricts IAV replication by coordinating innate immune signaling and directly targeting several steps in the viral replication cycle. IMPORTANCE Accumulating evidence indicates that host long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in regulating virus–host interactions during influenza A virus (IAV) infection. However, the functions and mechanisms of action of most IAV-associated lncRNAs remain unclear. This study identifies the novel chicken antisense lncRNA ckATP1A1-AS1 as a key antiviral factor with a unique dual mechanism: it is transcriptionally activated by transcription factor JUN and, in turn, upregulates the expression of interferon-β and key interferon-stimulated genes to positively regulate the type I interferon immune response. It directly interacts with viral nucleoprotein, competitively disrupting the binding of nucleoprotein to importin α5 and impairing nucleoprotein oligomerization, thereby suppressing viral ribonucleoprotein assembly and reducing viral polymerase activity. Accumulating evidence indicates that host long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in regulating virus–host interactions during influenza A virus (IAV) infection. However, the functions and mechanisms of action of most IAV-associated lncRNAs remain unclear. This study identifies the novel chicken antisense lncRNA ckATP1A1-AS1 as a key antiviral factor with a unique dual mechanism: it is transcriptionally activated by transcription factor JUN and, in turn, upregulates the expression of interferon-β and key interferon-stimulated genes to positively regulate the type I interferon immune response. It directly interacts with viral nucleoprotein, competitively disrupting the binding of nucleoprotein to importin α5 and impairing nucleoprotein oligomerization, thereby suppressing viral ribonucleoprotein assembly and reducing viral polymerase activity.
Menglu Fan, Zhiyuan Liu, Lu-Lu Deng et al.· Journal of Virology· 0 citations
The first ncRNA transcriptome landscape of C. sonnerati during RGNNV infection is offered, establishing a theoretical basis for elucidating host-RGNNV interaction mechanism in groupers and establishing a valuable candidate target for future antiviral strategies in C. sonnerati.
It is demonstrated that viperin plays a central role in coordinating antiviral responses in rainbow trout macrophages and is essential for proper activation of classical IFN–ISG pathways.
Mariana Vaz, A. Florea, G. E. Themudo et al.· Scientific Reports· 0 citations
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) represent a class of covalently closed non-coding RNA molecules that exert vital regulatory effects on host-pathogen interplay. The H9N2 subtype of avian influenza virus (AIV) is a widespread pathogen on a global scale, inflicting considerable economic damage to the poultry sector and harboring potential risks of cross-species transmission to humans. Despite growing evidence suggesting that non-coding RNAs can modulate the replication of influenza viruses, the expression patterns and functions of avian-derived circRNAs during H9N2 AIV infection have been largely unclear. Here, we conducted a systematic investigation into the expression dynamics of circRNAs in DF1 cells infected with H9N2 AIV by high-throughput RNA sequencing technology. A total of 139 differentially expressed circRNAs were identified, with 58 exhibiting upregulation and 81 showing downregulation relative to non-infected control cells. Of note, a circRNA originating from exon 2 of the insulin receptor (INSR) gene displayed consistent upregulation during viral infection. Functional assays verified its contributing role in the replication of H9N2 AIV. Specifically, siRNA-mediated knockdown of circ-INSR significantly suppressed H9N2 AIV replication. This study is the first to identify circ-INSR as a host factor contributing to influenza virus replication. Our results provide a basis for developing circRNA-based strategies against H9N2 avian influenza virus.
This study provides a comprehensive characterization of a highly virulent A. veronii from Nile tilapia and reveals that selective downregulation of B-cell Ig genes is the dominant transcriptional feature of the host head kidney response.
Zulin Fang, Zhengshuang Li, Fuhao Geng et al.· Fish and Shellfish Immunolog...· 0 citations
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