Human Hemoglobin Subunit Beta Functions as a Pleiotropic Regulator of RIG-I/MDA5-Mediated Antiviral Innate Immune Responses

Yang, Qian and Bai, Si-Yu and Li, Lian-Feng and Li, Su and Zhang, Yuexiu and Munir, Muhammad and Qiu, Hua-Ji (2019) Human Hemoglobin Subunit Beta Functions as a Pleiotropic Regulator of RIG-I/MDA5-Mediated Antiviral Innate Immune Responses. Journal of Virology, 93 (16). ISSN 0022-538X

[thumbnail of Manuscript_by_Qian_Yang_et_al_JV_20190129]
Text (Manuscript_by_Qian_Yang_et_al_JV_20190129)
Manuscript_by_Qian_Yang_et_al_JV_20190129.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.

Download (602kB)

Abstract

Hemoglobin is an important oxygen-carrying protein and plays crucial roles in establishing host resistance against pathogens and in regulating innate immune responses. The hemoglobin subunit beta (HB) is an essential component of hemoglobin, and we have previously demonstrated that the antiviral role of the porcine HB (pHB) is mediated by promoting type I interferon pathways. Thus, considering the high homology between human HB (hHB) and pHB, we hypothesized that hHB also plays an important role in the antiviral innate immunity. In this study, we characterized hHB as a regulatory factor for the replication of RNA viruses by differentially regulating the RIG-I- and MDA5-mediated antiviral signaling pathways. Furthermore, we showed that hHB directly inhibited MDA5-mediated signaling by reducing the MDA5-double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) interaction. Additionally, hHB required hHB-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) to promote RIG-I-mediated signaling through enhancement of K63-linked RIG-I ubiquitination. Taken together, our findings suggest that hHB is a pleiotropic regulator of RIG-I/MDA5-mediated antiviral responses and further highlight the importance of the intercellular microenvironment, including the redox state, in regulating antiviral innate immune responses. IMPORTANCE Hemoglobin, the most important oxygen-carrying protein, is involved in the regulation of innate immune responses. We have previously reported that the porcine hemoglobin subunit beta (HB) exerts antiviral activity through regulation of type I interferon production. However, the antiviral activities and the underlying mechanisms of HBs originating from other animals have been poorly understood. Here, we identified human HB (hHB) as a pleiotropic regulator of the replication of RNA viruses through regulation of RIG-I/MDA5-mediated signaling pathways. hHB enhances RIG-I-mediated antiviral responses by promoting RIG-I ubiquitination depending on the hHB-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), while it blocks MDA5-mediated antiviral signaling by suppressing the MDA5-dsRNA interaction. Our results contribute to an understanding of the crucial roles of hHB in the regulation of the RIG-I/MDA5-mediated signaling pathways. We also provide novel insight into the correlation of the intercellular redox state with the regulation of antiviral innate immunity.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Journal of Virology
Additional Information:
Copyright © 2019 Yang et al.
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2400/2406
Subjects:
?? IMMUNOLOGYVIROLOGY ??
ID Code:
134752
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
22 Jun 2019 09:18
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
20 Oct 2023 00:18