Activation of type I interferon antiviral response in human neural stem cells

• Published in: Stem cell research & therapy Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 387
• Main Authors: Lin, Jhao-Yin, Kuo, Rei-Lin, Huang, Hsing-I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 16.12.2019; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Biological response modifiers; Cell Line; Cells, Cultured; Central nervous system; DEAD Box Protein 58 - genetics; DEAD Box Protein 58 - immunology; Encephalitis; Encephalitis Viruses, Japanese - immunology; Encephalitis, Japanese - genetics; Encephalitis, Japanese - immunology; Genes; Genomes; Humans; IFN; Immune response; Immunity, Innate; Infection; Infections; Innate immunity; Interferon; Interferon Lambda; Interferon Type I - biosynthesis; Interferon Type I - immunology; Interferon-beta - biosynthesis; Interferon-beta - genetics; Interferon-beta - immunology; Interferons - genetics; Interferons - immunology; Japanese encephalitis; MDA5; Neural stem cells; Neural Stem Cells - immunology; Neural Stem Cells - pathology; Neural Stem Cells - virology; Neurogenesis; Neurological diseases; Pathogenic microorganisms; Pathogens; Pattern recognition receptors; Polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid; Receptors, Immunologic; Ribonucleic acid; RIG-I; RNA; Sensors; Stem cells; TLR3 protein; TLR7 protein; Toll-like receptors; Transcription activation; Transcription, Genetic; Transfection; Viral infections; Viruses; West Nile virus; Zika virus; Zika Virus - immunology; Zika Virus Infection - genetics; Zika Virus Infection - immunology; Zika Virus Infection - pathology; β-Interferon; United States > US; Taiwan; IFN; Neural stem cells; RIG-I; Zika virus; MDA5
• ISSN: 1757-6512; 1757-6512
• DOI: 10.1186/s13287-019-1521-5

Neural stem cells (NSCs) residing in the central nervous system play an important role in neurogenesis. Several viruses can infect these neural progenitors and cause severe neurological diseases. The innate immune responses against the neurotropic viruses in these tissue-specific stem cells remain unclear. Human NSCs were transfected with viral RNA mimics or infected with neurotropic virus for detecting the expression of antiviral interferons (IFNs) and downstream IFN-stimulated antiviral genes. NSCs are able to produce interferon-β (IFN-β) (type I) and λ1 (type III) after transfection with poly(I:C) and that downstream IFN-stimulated antiviral genes, such as ISG56 and MxA, and the viral RNA sensors RIG-I, MDA5, and TLR3, can be expressed in NSCs under poly(I:C) or IFN-β stimulation. In addition, our results show that the pattern recognition receptors RIG-I and MDA5, as well as the endosomal pathogen recognition receptor TLR3, but not TLR7 and TLR8, are involved in the activation of IFN-β transcription in NSCs. Furthermore, NSCs infected with the neurotropic viruses, Zika and Japanese encephalitis viruses, are able to induce RIG-I-mediated IFN-β expression. Human NSCs have the ability to activate IFN signals against neurotropic viral pathogens.