| First Author | Holm CK | Year | 2012 |
| Journal | Nat Immunol | Volume | 13 |
| Issue | 8 | Pages | 737-43 |
| PubMed ID | 22706339 | Mgi Jnum | J:187650 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5437588 | Doi | 10.1038/ni.2350 |
| Citation | Holm CK, et al. (2012) Virus-cell fusion as a trigger of innate immunity dependent on the adaptor STING. Nat Immunol 13(8):737-43 |
| abstractText | The innate immune system senses infection by detecting either evolutionarily conserved molecules essential for the survival of microbes or the abnormal location of molecules. Here we demonstrate the existence of a previously unknown innate detection mechanism induced by fusion between viral envelopes and target cells. Virus-cell fusion specifically stimulated a type I interferon response with expression of interferon-stimulated genes, in vivo recruitment of leukocytes and potentiation of signaling via Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and TLR9. The fusion-dependent response was dependent on the stimulator of interferon genes STING but was independent of DNA, RNA and viral capsid. We suggest that membrane fusion is sensed as a danger signal with potential implications for defense against enveloped viruses and various conditions of giant-cell formation. |
