During budding from the plasma membrane, influenza A viruses (IAVs) incorporate host proteins, but the role of these proteins in the viral life cycle is poorly understood. Berri et al. now show that the membrane protein annexin V (A5), which is upregulated during IAV infection and is incorporated into viral particles, enables escape from immune detection. The authors found that A5 incorporation inhibited interferon-γ (IFNγ)-mediated STAT1 phosphorylation and the subsequent production of CXC-chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) in infected macrophages, whereas knockdown of A5 using a small interfering RNA restored IFNγ signalling and decreased viral replication in macrophages and in the lungs of mice. These findings demonstrate that IAV has evolved a strategy to exploit host proteins for the subversion of immunosurveillance.
References
Berri, F. et al. Annexin V incorporated into influenza virus particles inhibits interferon-γ signaling and promotes viral replication. J. Virol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JVI.01405-14 (2014)
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Kåhrström, C. Influenza knows how to exploit its host. Nat Rev Microbiol 12, 596 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro3339
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro3339