Subject(s)
Immunity, Innate/physiology , Interferons/metabolism , Zika Virus Infection/transmission , Zika Virus , Animals , Culicidae/virology , Cytokines/metabolism , Female , Flavivirus/physiology , Humans , Microcephaly/etiology , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious , Signal Transduction , South America , West Nile Fever , West Nile virus , Zoonoses , Interferon LambdaABSTRACT
Bats harbor diverse viruses and manifest distinct antiviral immune responses. Recently in Cell Host & Microbe, Boys et al. demonstrated that bat receptor transporter protein 4 (RTP4) is an innate antiviral effector that inhibits flavivirus replication, revealing an evolutionary arms race between flaviviruses and their hosts.
Subject(s)
Chiroptera , Flavivirus , Viruses , Animals , Antiviral Agents , DNA VirusesABSTRACT
With the first reports on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the scientific community working in the field of type III IFNs (IFN-λ) realized that this class of IFNs could play an important role in this and other emerging viral infections. In this Viewpoint, we present our opinion on the benefits and potential limitations of using IFN-λ to prevent, limit, and treat these dangerous viral infections.