TRIM21 Promotes Rabies Virus Production by Degrading IRF7 through Ubiquitination

Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jun 30;24(13):10892. doi: 10.3390/ijms241310892.

Abstract

Rabies, a highly fatal zoonotic disease, is a significant global public health threat. Currently, the pathogenic mechanism of rabies has not been fully elucidated, and no effective treatment for rabies is available. Increasing evidence shows that the tripartite-motif protein (TRIM) family of proteins participates in the host's regulation of viral replication. Studies have demonstrated the upregulated expression of tripartite-motif protein 21 (TRIM21) in the brain tissue of mice infected with the rabies virus. Related studies have shown that TRIM21 knockdown inhibits RABV replication, while overexpression of TRIM21 exerted the opposite effect. Knockdown of interferon-alpha and interferon-beta modulates the inhibition of RABV replication caused by TRIM21 knockdown and promotes the replication of the virus. Furthermore, our previous study revealed that TRIM21 regulates the secretion of type I interferon during RABV infection by targeting interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7). IRF7 knockdown reduced the inhibition of RABV replication caused by the knockdown of TRIM21 and promoted viral replication. TRIM21 regulates RABV replication via the IRF7-IFN axis. Our study identified TRIM21 as a novel host factor required by RABV for replication. Thus, TRIM21 is a potential target for rabies treatment or management.

Keywords: IRF7; TRIM21; interferon; rabies virus; ubiquitination.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-7 / genetics
  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-7 / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Rabies virus* / metabolism
  • Rabies* / genetics
  • Tripartite Motif Proteins / genetics
  • Tripartite Motif Proteins / metabolism
  • Ubiquitination
  • Virus Replication

Substances

  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-7
  • Tripartite Motif Proteins

Grants and funding

This study was partially supported by the National Key Research and Development Plan (2022YFD1800100), X.G., and the Nature Science Foundation of Guangdong (No. 2022A1515012530), J.L., the National Nature Science Foundation of China (No. 32002270), J.L. and the Basic and Applied Basic Research Project of Guangzhou Basic Research Program (No. 202201010652), J.L.