Research Progress

Professor Chunfu Zheng’s Lab has made significant headway in Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1

Date:16-05-2012   |   【Print】 【close

Dr. Chunfu Zheng’s Lab in Wuhan Institute of Virology has made significant headway in Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1) research and published one article entitled “HSV-1 Tegument Protein US11 down-modulates RLR Signaling Pathway via Direct Interaction with RIG-I and MDA-5” in Journal of Virology in 2012.
The interferon (IFN)-mediated antiviral response is a major defense of the host immune system. In order to complete their life cycle, HSV-1 must modulate host IFN-mediated immune responses. Junji Xing et al. report, for the first time, that HSV-1 tegument protein US11 binds to RIG-I and MDA-5 and inhibits their downstream signaling pathway, preventing the production of IFN-β, which may contribute to the pathogenesis of HSV-1 infection. These data suggest that US11 protein might contribute to HSV-1 pathogenesis by blocking the IFN-β pathway.

Figure1. US11 blocks IRF3 nuclear translocation induced by SeV infection