A double-edged sword in antiviral defence: ATG7 binding dicer to promote virus replication

Abstract RNA interference (RNAi) and autophagy are two pivotal biological processes that regulate virus replication. This study explored the complex relationship between autophagy and RNAi in controlling influenza virus replication. Initially, we reported that influenza virus (H9N2) infection increa...

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Main Authors: Yaotang Wu, Yang Wu, Chenlu Wang, Ningna Xiong, Wenxin Ji, Mei Fu, Junpeng Zhu, Zhixin Li, Jian Lin, Qian Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-02-01
Series:Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-025-05603-1
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author Yaotang Wu
Yang Wu
Chenlu Wang
Ningna Xiong
Wenxin Ji
Mei Fu
Junpeng Zhu
Zhixin Li
Jian Lin
Qian Yang
author_facet Yaotang Wu
Yang Wu
Chenlu Wang
Ningna Xiong
Wenxin Ji
Mei Fu
Junpeng Zhu
Zhixin Li
Jian Lin
Qian Yang
author_sort Yaotang Wu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract RNA interference (RNAi) and autophagy are two pivotal biological processes that regulate virus replication. This study explored the complex relationship between autophagy and RNAi in controlling influenza virus replication. Initially, we reported that influenza virus (H9N2) infection increases the viral load and the expression of autophagy markers while inhibiting the RNAi pathway. Subsequent studies employing autophagy enhancer and inhibitor treatments confirmed that avian influenza virus (AIV, H9N2) promotes viral replication by enhancing autophagy pathways. Further analysis revealed that ATG7, an autophagy protein, can interact with dicer to affect its antiviral functions. Finally, we discovered that infection with other avian RNA viruses, including infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) and infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), induced the upregulation of ATG7, which blocked the RNAi pathway to facilitate virus replication. Our findings suggested that virus infection might trigger the upregulation of autophagy and downregulation of the RNAi pathway, revealing a complex interaction between these two biological processes in the defence against viral replication.
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id doaj-art-2b5cd25c172d43f6990425cc1ccf0e7a
institution Kabale University
issn 1420-9071
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Springer
record_format Article
series Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences
spelling doaj-art-2b5cd25c172d43f6990425cc1ccf0e7a2025-08-20T03:46:04ZengSpringerCellular and Molecular Life Sciences1420-90712025-02-0182111910.1007/s00018-025-05603-1A double-edged sword in antiviral defence: ATG7 binding dicer to promote virus replicationYaotang Wu0Yang Wu1Chenlu Wang2Ningna Xiong3Wenxin Ji4Mei Fu5Junpeng Zhu6Zhixin Li7Jian Lin8Qian Yang9College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityCollege of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityCollege of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNingxia Animal Disease Prevention and Control CenterCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityAbstract RNA interference (RNAi) and autophagy are two pivotal biological processes that regulate virus replication. This study explored the complex relationship between autophagy and RNAi in controlling influenza virus replication. Initially, we reported that influenza virus (H9N2) infection increases the viral load and the expression of autophagy markers while inhibiting the RNAi pathway. Subsequent studies employing autophagy enhancer and inhibitor treatments confirmed that avian influenza virus (AIV, H9N2) promotes viral replication by enhancing autophagy pathways. Further analysis revealed that ATG7, an autophagy protein, can interact with dicer to affect its antiviral functions. Finally, we discovered that infection with other avian RNA viruses, including infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) and infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), induced the upregulation of ATG7, which blocked the RNAi pathway to facilitate virus replication. Our findings suggested that virus infection might trigger the upregulation of autophagy and downregulation of the RNAi pathway, revealing a complex interaction between these two biological processes in the defence against viral replication.https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-025-05603-1RNAiDicerAutophagyATG7H9N2
spellingShingle Yaotang Wu
Yang Wu
Chenlu Wang
Ningna Xiong
Wenxin Ji
Mei Fu
Junpeng Zhu
Zhixin Li
Jian Lin
Qian Yang
A double-edged sword in antiviral defence: ATG7 binding dicer to promote virus replication
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences
RNAi
Dicer
Autophagy
ATG7
H9N2
title A double-edged sword in antiviral defence: ATG7 binding dicer to promote virus replication
title_full A double-edged sword in antiviral defence: ATG7 binding dicer to promote virus replication
title_fullStr A double-edged sword in antiviral defence: ATG7 binding dicer to promote virus replication
title_full_unstemmed A double-edged sword in antiviral defence: ATG7 binding dicer to promote virus replication
title_short A double-edged sword in antiviral defence: ATG7 binding dicer to promote virus replication
title_sort double edged sword in antiviral defence atg7 binding dicer to promote virus replication
topic RNAi
Dicer
Autophagy
ATG7
H9N2
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-025-05603-1
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