Innate immune control of influenza virus interspecies adaptation via IFITM3.

ABSTRACT: Influenza virus pandemics are caused by viruses from animal reservoirs that adapt to efficiently infect and replicate in human hosts. Here, we investigate whether Interferon-Induced Transmembrane Protein 3 (IFITM3), a host antiviral factor with known human deficiencies, plays a role in interspecies virus infection and adaptation. We find that IFITM3-deficient mice and human cells can be infected with low doses of avian influenza viruses that fail to infect WT counterparts, identifying a new role for IFITM3 in controlling the minimum infectious virus dose threshold. Remarkably, influenza viruses passaged through Ifitm3^-/- mice exhibit enhanced host adaptation, a result that is distinct from viruses passaged in mice deficient for interferon signaling, which exhibit attenuation. Ou

SUBMITTER: Denz PJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11525587 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature