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Abstract
Host antiviral factor interferon-induced transmembrane proteins (IFITMs) are a kind of small-molecule transmembrane proteins induced by interferon. Their broad-spectrum antiviral activity and unique ability to inhibit viral invasion have made them a hot molecule in antiviral research in recent years. Since the first demonstration of their natural ability to resist viral infection in 1996, IFITMs have been reported to limit a variety of viral infections, including some major pathogens that seriously endanger human health and social stability, such as influenza A, Ebol, severe acute respiratory syndrome, AIDS, and Zika viruses, etc. Studies show that IFITMs mainly exert antiviral activity during virus entry, specifically interfering with the fusion of the envelope and the endosome membrane or forming fusion micropores to block the virus from entering the cytoplasm. However, their specific mechanism is still unclear. This article mainly reviews the research progress in the structure, evolution, function, and mechanism of IFITMs, which may provide a theoretical basis for clarifying the molecular mechanism of interaction between the molecules and viruses and the research and development of new antiviral drugs based on IFITMs.
Highlights
Human interferon-induced transmembrane proteins (IFITMs), first reported in 1984, are proteins that can be induced by interferon (IFN)
It is reported that IFITM proteins could significantly inhibit influenza A virus (IAV), West Nile virus (WNV), Ebola virus (EBOV), SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), vesicular pharyngitis virus (VSV), Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), dengue virus (DENV), Semliki forest virus (SFV), Zika virus, Respiratory syncytial
Ifitm3–/– mice are more sensitive to multiple alphaviruses, including Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), SFV, Sindbis virus (SINV), and O’nyong-nyong virus (ONNV), than wildtype mice, and higher viral loads can be detected in multiple organs of ifitm3–/– mice, indicating that IFITM3 can limit the infection and pathogenicity of alphavirus [65]
Summary
Linzhu Ren 1*†, Shouwen Du 3†, Wang Xu 2, Tiyuan Li 3, Shipin Wu 3, Ningyi Jin 1,2 and Chang Li 2*. Host antiviral factor interferon-induced transmembrane proteins (IFITMs) are a kind of small-molecule transmembrane proteins induced by interferon. Their broad-spectrum antiviral activity and unique ability to inhibit viral invasion have made them a hot molecule in antiviral research in recent years. Studies show that IFITMs mainly exert antiviral activity during virus entry, interfering with the fusion of the envelope and the endosome membrane or forming fusion micropores to block the virus from entering the cytoplasm. Specialty section: This article was submitted to Molecular Innate Immunity, a section of the journal
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