Pseudorabies Virus Infection Activates the TLR-NF-κB Axis and AIM2 Inflammasome To Enhance Inflammatory Responses in Mice
Qiongqiong Zhou, Longfeng Zhang, Qihong Lin, Hongyang Liu, Guangqiang Ye, Xiaohong Liu, Shuang Jiao, Jiangnan Li, Yan-Dong Tang, Deshi Shi, Li Huang, Changjiang Weng
Abstract
PRV can infect several mammals, including pigs, other livestock, rodents, and wild animals, causing huge economic losses. As an emerging and reemerging infectious disease, the emergence of PRV virulent isolates and increasing human PRV infection cases indicate that PRV is still a high risk to public health. It has been reported that PRV infection leads to robust release of proinflammatory cytokines through activating inflammatory responses. However, the innate sensor that activates IL-1β expression and the inflammasome involved in the maturation and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines during PRV infection remain poorly studied. In this study, our findings reveal that, in mice, activation of the TLR2-TLR3-TRL4-TLR5-NF-κB axis and AIM2 inflammasome, as well as GSDMD, is required for proinflammatory cytokine release during PRV infection, and it resists PRV replication and plays a critical role in host defense against PRV infection. Our findings provide novel clues to prevent and control PRV infection.