Viral insulin/IGF-like peptides inhibit IGF-1 receptor signaling to enhance viral replication.

ABSTRACT: The insulin/insulin growth factor (IGF) system plays a central role in regulating metabolism and growth. We identified viral insulin/IGF1-like peptides (VILPs) in Iridoviridae and investigated their role in host-virus interactions. Using grouper iridovirus (GIV) on grouper and zebrafish cells, we show that VILPs are early viral genes and are secreted during infection. VILPs activate insulin receptor (IR) and IGF-1 receptor (IGF1R) phosphorylation and stimulate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. GIV-VILP present in the supernatants of infected cells triggers dose- and time-dependent signaling through selective interaction with IGF1R. Functionally, IR inhibition suppresses GIV replication, whereas IGF1R inhibition enhances it, and IGF-1 stimulation reduces replication. During

SUBMITTER: Chuard A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12512748 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature