Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is known to be a poor inducer of interferon alpha/beta (IFN-α/β), which may contribute to the delayed development of adaptive immunity and the resultant viral persistence. However, the exact mechanism by which PRRSV inhibits the induction of IFN-α/β during infection of its natural host cells remains less well defined. Here, we show tha...

Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) is the pathogen of animals and humans that can replicate in the phagosomes of myeloid cells. Cytosolic detection of bacterial products plays a crucial role in initiating the innate immune response, including autophagy activation and interferon-β (IFN-β) release. Although IFN-β release and autophagy activation have been reported during mycobacterium infection, the ...

Viral infection triggers innate immune signaling, which in turn induces interferon-β (IFN-β) production to establish innate antiviral immunity. Previous studies showed that Gcn5 (Kat2a), a histone acetyltransferase (HAT) with partial functional redundancy with PCAF (Kat2b), and Gcn5/PCAF-mediated histone H3K9 acetylation (H3K9ac) are enriched on the active IFNB gene promoter. However, whether G...

Low doses of anticancer drugs have been shown to enhance antitumor immune response and increase the efficacy of immunotherapy. The molecular basis for such effects remains elusive, although selective depletion of T regulatory cells has been demonstrated. In the current studies, we demonstrate that topotecan (TPT), a topoisomerase I-targeting drug with a well-defined mechanism of action, stimula...

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a T-cell mediated autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of pancreatic β-cells leading to absolute insulin deficiency [1]. Exogenous insulin represents the core of therapy for T1D that is fatal unless treated[2]. Several years of progressive autoimmune β-cells damage generally precede the clinical onset of diabetes [2]. Moreover, it has been found that the ...

Beta (β)-Glucans are biological response modifiers with potent effects on the immune system. They are glucose polymers present in the cell walls of plants, fungi, and bacteria, and are considered to be pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). It has been reported that these polymers have a variety of effects on the immune system, including anti-tumor and anti-infective activities against...

We present a case report of a 37-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis (MS) who developed nephrotic-range proteinuria secondary to membrano proliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN)-like disease with mesangial C3 deposition without evidence of immune-complex deposition in the context of long-term interferon-β (IFN-β) therapy. The complete remission of proteinuria following cessation of IFN-β, st...

OBJECTIVE To test the effect of oral contraceptives (OCs) in combination with interferon β (IFN-β) on disease activity in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). METHODS One hundred fifty women with RRMS were randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive IFN-β-1a subcutaneously (SC) only (group 1), IFN-β-1a SC plus ethinylstradiol 20 μg and desogestrel 150 μg (group 2), or IFN-β...

TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) plays an essential role in Toll-like receptor (TLR)- and retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I)-mediated induction of type I interferon (IFN; IFN-α/β) and host antiviral responses. How TBK1 activity is negatively regulated remains largely unknown. We report that TNF receptor-associated factor (TRAF)-interacting protein (TRIP) promotes proteasomal degradation of TBK1...

The downstream of kinase (DOK) family of adaptors is generally involved in the negative regulation of signaling pathways. DOK1, 2, and 3 were shown to attenuate TLR4 signaling by inhibiting Ras-ERK activation. In this study, we elucidated a novel role for DOK3 in IFN-β production. Macrophages lacking DOK3 were impaired in IFN-β synthesis upon influenza virus infection or polyinosinic-polyribocy...