Discriminating Self from Non-self in Nucleic Acid Sensing

Overview

Journal Nat Rev Immunol

Specialty Allergy & Immunology

Date 2016 Jul 26

PMID 27455396

Citations 284

Authors

Martin Schlee

Gunther Hartmann

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Innate immunity against pathogens relies on an array of immune receptors to detect molecular patterns that are characteristic of the pathogens, including receptors that are specialized in the detection of foreign nucleic acids. In vertebrates, nucleic acid sensing is the dominant antiviral defence pathway. Stimulation of nucleic acid receptors results in antiviral immune responses with the production of type I interferon (IFN), as well as the expression of IFN-stimulated genes, which encode molecules such as cell-autonomous antiviral effector proteins. This Review summarizes the tremendous progress that has been made in understanding how this sophisticated immune sensory system discriminates self from non-self nucleic acids in order to reliably detect pathogenic viruses.

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