Antiviral functions of Interferon-stimulated genes and virus-mediated antagonism
- 1Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University
Abstract
Interferons (IFNs) are cytokines that play crucial roles in antiviral activity, anti-proliferation, stimulation of cytotoxic T cells, and modulation of host immune responses. Like other cytokines, IFNs bind their receptors on the cell surface to activate intracellular signal transduction. The major signaling pathway activated by IFNs is the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway, which leads to the transcriptional activation of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). More than 300 ISGs can be upregulated by IFNs. Among these ISGs are a myriad of antiviral effectors, including ISG15, myxovirus resistance 1 (MX1), ribonuclease L (RNase L), and protein kinase R (PKR). Given the potent antiviral responses elicited by IFN-activated JAK/STAT signaling, viruses have evolved diverse strategies to antagonize this pathway during infection. In this review, recent progress in understanding the functions of ISGs is summarized, with particular emphasis on viral antagonism of ISG-mediated antiviral responses.
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BibTeX
@article{zhou2026antiviral,
title = {{Antiviral functions of Interferon-stimulated genes and virus-mediated antagonism}},
author = {Zhaobin Zhou and Yuchen Nan and Chunyan Wu},
journal = {Frontiers in Immunology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fimmu.2026.1961358},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1961358/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Antiviral functions of Interferon-stimulated genes and virus-mediated antagonism
AU - Zhaobin Zhou
AU - Yuchen Nan
AU - Chunyan Wu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/23
JO - Frontiers in Immunology
DO - 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1961358
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1961358/full
AB - Interferons (IFNs) are cytokines that play crucial roles in antiviral activity, anti-proliferation, stimulation of cytotoxic T cells, and modulation of host immune responses. Like other cytokines, IFNs bind their receptors on the cell surface to activate intracellular signal transduction. The major signaling pathway activated by IFNs is the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway, which leads to the transcriptional activation of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). More than 300 ISGs can be upregulated by IFNs. Among these ISGs are a myriad of antiviral effectors, including ISG15, myxovirus resistance 1 (MX1), ribonuclease L (RNase L), and protein kinase R (PKR). Given the potent antiviral responses elicited by IFN-activated JAK/STAT signaling, viruses have evolved diverse strategies to antagonize this pathway during infection. In this review, recent progress in understanding the functions of ISGs is summarized, with particular emphasis on viral antagonism of ISG-mediated antiviral responses.
SN - 1664-3224
ER -