Lessons from the host defences of bats, a unique viral reservoir20 Feb 2021 13:35
Interesting article in NATURE which explores the host defences of bats vs other mammals, and more specifically the article explores the role if Interferon. I have pasted the relevant paragraph from the article below (apologies if already been discussed);
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-03128-0
Enhanced host defence responses
The unique status of bats as a viral reservoir has triggered increasing interest and efforts to characterize the immune system of bats. Earlier efforts focused on genomic and transcriptomic analysis, and particularly on interferon and antiviral activities. Humans express minimal baseline levels of type I interferons (IFNs), and they are highly inducible upon stimulation91. By comparison, the black flying fox (Pteropus alecto) constitutively expresses some baseline IFNa, and many species of bats express several IFN-stimulated genes before stimulation. This may be regulated by IFN regulatory factors (IRFs), as differential expression patterns of IRF and enhanced IRF3-mediated antiviral responses are observed in bats. The restricted induction of type I IFNs would minimize production of inflammatory cytokines. The kinetics of the IFN response in bats also differs from those of other mammals, with a faster decline phase for some bat interferon-stimulated genes. In addition, several antiviral genes—such as RNASEL—are IFN-induced in bats but not in other mammals or have undergone selection pressure to potentially alter function, such as those encoding Mx proteins and APOBEC3. Antiviral immune activation in bats has also previously been reviewed. Just as IFN signalling varies across mammal, there is likewise variation in the IFN response across bat species. For instance, P. alecto shows a contraction of an IFN locus, whereas the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) exhibits no constitutive IFN but has one markedly expanded IFN locus—especially for IFN?73. Several species suggest a restricted induction profile of IFNa and IFNß compared to human or mouse. Dysregulation of the IFN response has previously been implicated in autoimmune diseases101 and the pathogenesis of several bat-borne viruses, including Ebola virus, SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. Together, these bat-specific changes in baseline expression, kinetics, induction or functions of antiviral genes in IFN signalling could help bats to efficiently control the numerous viruses that they host.
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