Abstract
Infectious Diseases An early step in the host response to viral infection involves a burst of synthesis of type I interferons that allow cells to quickly fight back against the offending viruses. Shaabani et al. investigated how the same interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) that usually help against viruses surprisingly dampen the host's ability to resist many bacterial infections. Deletion of a single ISG called Usp18 in mouse dendritic cells was sufficient to enhance host control of infections with two strains of Gram-positive bacteria. Normal induction of USP18 after infection impaired antibacterial responses mediated by tumor necrosis factor. USP18 thus represents a potential therapeutic target for control of serious bacterial infections. Sci. Immunol. 3 , eaau2125 (2018).
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