O-GlcNAc transferase plays dual antiviral roles by integrating innate immunity and lipid metabolism

Abstract Viral infection induces robust reprogramming of metabolic pathways in host cells. However, whether host metabolic enzymes detect viral components remains unknown. Our group and others previously identified O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), an important glucose metabolic enzyme, as a crucial media...

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Main Authors: Hong Dong, Chenxi Liang, Junjie Zhang, Weidong Wu, Nitesh Kumar, Zihao Liu, Yajun Sun, Zhiwei Liao, Xiaolin Cheng, Yanbao Yu, Yong Zhang, Michael J. Holtzman, Jianrong Li, Kymberly M. Gowdy, Paul G. Thomas, Jovica D. Badjic, Anjun Ma, Qin Ma, Jacob S. Yount, Shan-Lu Liu, Haitao Wen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63085-y
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author Hong Dong
Chenxi Liang
Junjie Zhang
Weidong Wu
Nitesh Kumar
Zihao Liu
Yajun Sun
Zhiwei Liao
Xiaolin Cheng
Yanbao Yu
Yong Zhang
Michael J. Holtzman
Jianrong Li
Kymberly M. Gowdy
Paul G. Thomas
Jovica D. Badjic
Anjun Ma
Qin Ma
Jacob S. Yount
Shan-Lu Liu
Haitao Wen
author_facet Hong Dong
Chenxi Liang
Junjie Zhang
Weidong Wu
Nitesh Kumar
Zihao Liu
Yajun Sun
Zhiwei Liao
Xiaolin Cheng
Yanbao Yu
Yong Zhang
Michael J. Holtzman
Jianrong Li
Kymberly M. Gowdy
Paul G. Thomas
Jovica D. Badjic
Anjun Ma
Qin Ma
Jacob S. Yount
Shan-Lu Liu
Haitao Wen
author_sort Hong Dong
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Viral infection induces robust reprogramming of metabolic pathways in host cells. However, whether host metabolic enzymes detect viral components remains unknown. Our group and others previously identified O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), an important glucose metabolic enzyme, as a crucial mediator of the antiviral immune responses. Here, by studying a mouse model with a catalytically impaired OGT, we discover a catalytic activity-independent function of OGT in restraining influenza A virus (IAV) infection in addition to its catalytic activity-dependent effect on MAVS-mediated antiviral immunity. Biochemical studies reveal a critical antiviral effect based on OGT interacting with IAV genomic RNA that requires its N-terminal tetracopeptide repeat-4 motif. This interaction causes the translocation of nuclear OGT to cytosolic lipid droplets (LDs) to destabilize LDs-coating perilipin 2, thereby limiting LDs accumulation and in turn virus replication. In sum, our findings reveal OGT as a multifaceted metabolic sensor that integrates MAVS signaling and lipid metabolism to combat viral infection.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2041-1723
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series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-7993bdc54c20401daef1468f09ee63f42025-08-24T11:37:52ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-08-0116111910.1038/s41467-025-63085-yO-GlcNAc transferase plays dual antiviral roles by integrating innate immunity and lipid metabolismHong Dong0Chenxi Liang1Junjie Zhang2Weidong Wu3Nitesh Kumar4Zihao Liu5Yajun Sun6Zhiwei Liao7Xiaolin Cheng8Yanbao Yu9Yong Zhang10Michael J. Holtzman11Jianrong Li12Kymberly M. Gowdy13Paul G. Thomas14Jovica D. Badjic15Anjun Ma16Qin Ma17Jacob S. Yount18Shan-Lu Liu19Haitao Wen20Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Infectious Disease Institute, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Infectious Disease Institute, The Ohio State UniversityDivision of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Infectious Disease Institute, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Infectious Disease Institute, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Infectious Disease Institute, The Ohio State UniversityDivision of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of DelawarePulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of MedicinePulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of MedicineDepartment Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State UniversityDivision of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Host-Microbe Interactions and Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Research HospitalDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Infectious Disease Institute, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Infectious Disease Institute, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Infectious Disease Institute, The Ohio State UniversityAbstract Viral infection induces robust reprogramming of metabolic pathways in host cells. However, whether host metabolic enzymes detect viral components remains unknown. Our group and others previously identified O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), an important glucose metabolic enzyme, as a crucial mediator of the antiviral immune responses. Here, by studying a mouse model with a catalytically impaired OGT, we discover a catalytic activity-independent function of OGT in restraining influenza A virus (IAV) infection in addition to its catalytic activity-dependent effect on MAVS-mediated antiviral immunity. Biochemical studies reveal a critical antiviral effect based on OGT interacting with IAV genomic RNA that requires its N-terminal tetracopeptide repeat-4 motif. This interaction causes the translocation of nuclear OGT to cytosolic lipid droplets (LDs) to destabilize LDs-coating perilipin 2, thereby limiting LDs accumulation and in turn virus replication. In sum, our findings reveal OGT as a multifaceted metabolic sensor that integrates MAVS signaling and lipid metabolism to combat viral infection.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63085-y
spellingShingle Hong Dong
Chenxi Liang
Junjie Zhang
Weidong Wu
Nitesh Kumar
Zihao Liu
Yajun Sun
Zhiwei Liao
Xiaolin Cheng
Yanbao Yu
Yong Zhang
Michael J. Holtzman
Jianrong Li
Kymberly M. Gowdy
Paul G. Thomas
Jovica D. Badjic
Anjun Ma
Qin Ma
Jacob S. Yount
Shan-Lu Liu
Haitao Wen
O-GlcNAc transferase plays dual antiviral roles by integrating innate immunity and lipid metabolism
Nature Communications
title O-GlcNAc transferase plays dual antiviral roles by integrating innate immunity and lipid metabolism
title_full O-GlcNAc transferase plays dual antiviral roles by integrating innate immunity and lipid metabolism
title_fullStr O-GlcNAc transferase plays dual antiviral roles by integrating innate immunity and lipid metabolism
title_full_unstemmed O-GlcNAc transferase plays dual antiviral roles by integrating innate immunity and lipid metabolism
title_short O-GlcNAc transferase plays dual antiviral roles by integrating innate immunity and lipid metabolism
title_sort o glcnac transferase plays dual antiviral roles by integrating innate immunity and lipid metabolism
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63085-y
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