The type I interferon (IFN) response protects cells from invading viral pathogens. The cellular factors that mediate this defense are the products of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Although hundreds of ISGs have been identified since their discovery over 25 years ago1,2,3, only few have been characterized with respect to antiviral activity. For most, little is known about their antiviral potential, their target specificity, and their mechanisms of action. Using an overexpression screening approach, we show that different viruses are targeted by unique sets of ISGs, with each viral species susceptible to multiple antiviral genes with a range of inhibitory activities. To conduct the screen, over 380 ISGs were tested for their ability to inhibit the replication of several important viruses including hepatitis C virus (HCV), yellow fever virus (YFV), West Nile virus (WNV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). Broadly acting effectors included IRF1, C6orf150, HPSE, RIG-I, MDA5, and IFITM3, while more targeted antiviral specificity was observed with DDX60, IFI44L, IFI6, IFITM2, MAP3K14, MOV10, NAMPT, OASL, RTP4, TREX1, and UNC84B. Combined expression of two-ISG pairs showed additive antiviral effects similar to moderate IFN doses. Mechanistic studies revealed a common theme of translational inhibition for numerous effectors. Several ISGs, including ADAR, FAM46C, LY6E, and MCOLN2, enhanced replication of certain viruses, highlighting another layer of complexity in the highly pleiotropic IFN system.

Many viruses trigger the type I interferon (IFN) system, leading to the transcription of hundreds of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). The products of these ISGs exert numerous antiviral effector functions, many of which are still not fully described. Recent efforts have been aimed at identifying which ISGs are antiviral and further characterizing their mechanisms of action. IFN effectors vary widely in their magnitude of inhibitory activity and display combinatorial antiviral properties. Collectively, ISGs can target almost any step in a virus life cycle. Some of the most potent antiviral effectors reinforce the system by further inducing IFN or ISGs. Other genes enhance or facilitate viral replication, suggesting that some viruses may have evolved to co-opt IFN effectors for a survival advantage.

The type I interferon (IFN) response protects cells from viral infection by inducing hundreds of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), some of which encode direct antiviral effectors1–3. Recent screening studies have begun to catalogue ISGs with antiviral activity against several RNA and DNA viruses4–13. However, antiviral ISG specificity across multiple distinct classes of viruses remains largely unexplored. Here we used an ectopic expression assay to screen a library of more than 350 human ISGs for effects on 14 viruses representing 7 families and 11 genera. We show that 47 genes inhibit one or more viruses, and 25 genes enhance virus infectivity. Comparative analysis reveals that the screened ISGs target positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses more effectively than negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses. Gene clustering highlights the cytosolic DNA sensor cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS, also known as MB21D1) as a gene whose expression also broadly inhibits several RNA viruses. In vitro, lentiviral delivery of enzymatically active cGAS triggers a STING-dependent, IRF3-mediated antiviral program that functions independently of canonical IFN/STAT1 signalling. In vivo, genetic ablation of murine cGAS reveals its requirement in the antiviral response to two DNA viruses, and an unappreciated contribution to the innate control of an RNA virus. These studies uncover new paradigms for the preferential specificity of IFN-mediated antiviral pathways spanning several virus families.

Type I interferons (IFNs) (IFN-α, IFN-β) and type III IFNs (IFN-λ) share many properties, including induction by viral infection, activation of shared signaling pathways, and transcriptional programs. However, recent discoveries have revealed context-specific functional differences. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of type I and type III IFN activities, highlighting shared and distinct features from molecular mechanisms through physiological responses. Beyond discussing canonical antiviral functions, we consider the adaptive immune priming, anti-tumor, and autoimmune functions of IFNs. We discuss a model wherein type III IFNs serve as a front-line defense that controls infection at epithelial barriers while minimizing damaging inflammatory responses, reserving the more potent type I IFN response for when local responses are insufficient. In this context, we discuss current therapeutic applications targeting these cytokine pathways and highlight gaps in understanding of the biology of type I and type III IFNs in health and disease.

HIV-1 replication can be inhibited by type-I interferon (IFN), and the expression of a number of gene products with anti HIV-1 activity is induced by type-I IFN1,2. However, none of the known antiretroviral proteins can account for the ability of type-I IFN to inhibit early, preintegration, phases of the HIV-1 replication cycle in human cells3,4. By comparing gene expression profiles in cell lines that differ in their ability to support the inhibitory action of IFNα on early steps of the HIV-1 replication cycle, we identified Myxovirus resistance-2 (Mx2) as an interferon-induced inhibitor of HIV-1 infection. Expression of Mx2 reduced permissiveness to a variety of lentiviruses, while depletion of Mx2 using RNA interference reduced the anti-HIV-1 potency of IFNα. HIV-1 reverse transcription proceeded normally in Mx2-expressing cells, but 2-LTR circular forms of HIV-1 DNA were less abundant, suggesting that Mx2 inhibits HIV-1 nuclear import, or destabilizes nuclear HIV-1 DNA. Consistent with this notion, mutations in the HIV-1 capsid protein that are known, or suspected to alter the nuclear import pathways used by HIV-1 conferred resistance to Mx2, while preventing cell division increased Mx2 potency. Overall, these findings indicate that Mx2 is an effector of the anti-HIV-1 activity of type-I IFN, and suggest that Mx2 inhibits HIV-1 infection by inhibiting capsid-dependent nuclear import of subviral complexes.

In the absence of an intact interferon (IFN) response, mammals may be susceptible to lethal viral infection. IFNs are secreted cytokines that activate a signal transduction cascade leading to the induction of hundreds of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Remarkably, approximately 10% of the genes in the human genome have the potential to be regulated by IFNs. What do all of these genes do? It is a complex question without a simple answer. From decades of research, we know that many of the protein products encoded by these ISGs work alone or in concert to achieve one or more cellular outcomes, including antiviral defense, antiproliferative activities, and stimulation of adaptive immunity. The focus of this review is the antiviral activities of the IFN/ISG system. This includes general paradigms of ISG function, supported by specific examples in the literature, as well as methodologies to identify and characterize ISG function.

ISG15 is an interferon (IFN)-α/β-inducible, ubiquitin-like intracellular protein. Its conjugation to various proteins (ISGylation) contributes to antiviral immunity in mice. We describe human patients with inherited ISG15 deficiency and mycobacterial, but not viral diseases. The lack of intracellular ISG15 production and protein ISGylation was not associated with cellular susceptibility to any viruses tested, consistent with the lack of viral diseases in these patients. By contrast, the lack of mycobacterium-induced ISG15 secretion by leukocytes — granulocytes in particular — reduced the production of IFN-γ by lymphocytes, including natural killer cells, probably accounting for the enhanced susceptibility to mycobacterial disease. This experiment of Nature shows that human ISGylation is largely redundant for antiviral immunity, but that ISG15 plays an essential role as an IFN-γ-inducing secreted molecule for optimal antimycobacterial immunity.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a major medical problem. Antiviral treatment is only partially effective and a vaccine does not exist. Development of more effective therapies has been hampered by the lack of a suitable small animal model. While xenotransplantation of immunodeficient mice with human hepatocytes has shown promise, these models are subject to important challenges. Building on the previous observation that CD81 and occludin (OCLN) comprise the minimal human factors required to render mouse cells permissive to HCV entry in vitro, we attempted murine humanization via a genetic approach. Here we show that expression of two human genes is sufficient to allow HCV infection of fully immunocompetent inbred mice. We establish a precedent for applying mouse genetics to dissect viral entry and validate the role of SCARB1 for HCV uptake. We demonstrate that HCV can be blocked by passive immunization, as well as show that a recombinant vaccinia virus (rVV) vector induces humoral immunity and confers partial protection against heterologous challenge. This system recapitulates a portion of the HCV life cycle in an immunocompetent rodent for the first time, opening opportunities for studying viral pathogenesis and immunity and comprising an effective platform for testing HCV entry inhibitors in vivo.