N⁶-Methyladenosine modification of hepatitis B and C viral RNAs attenuates host innate immunity via RIG-I signaling.

ABSTRACT: N⁶-Methyladenosine (m⁶A), the methylation of the adenosine base at the nitrogen 6 position, is the most common epitranscriptomic modification of mRNA that affects a wide variety of biological functions. We have previously reported that hepatitis B viral RNAs are m⁶A-modified, displaying a dual functional role in the viral life cycle. Here, we show that cellular m⁶A machinery regulates host innate immunity against hepatitis B and C viral infections by inducing m⁶A modification of viral transcripts. The depletion of the m⁶A writer enzymes (METTL3 and METTL14) leads to an increase in viral RNA recognition by retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I), thereby stimulating type I interferon production. This is reversed in cell

SUBMITTER: Kim GW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7489896 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature