ABHD16A Negatively Regulates the Palmitoylation and Antiviral Function of IFITM Proteins
Xuemeng Shi, Xiaoling Li, Zhao Xu, Lingyi Shen, Yunyun Ding, Shuaiwu Chen, Lin Mao, Wei Liu, Jun Xu
Abstract
IFITM protein is the cells first line of antiviral defense that blocks early stages of viral replication; the underlying mechanism might be associated with the proper distribution in cells. The palmitoylation/depalmitoylation cycle can dynamically regulate protein localization, stability, and function. This work is the first one that found the critical enzyme that participates in the palmitoylation/depalmitoylation cycle of IFITM, and this type of palmitoyl loss may be an essential regulation mode for balancing the antiviral functions of the IFN pathway. These findings imply that the pharmacological intervention in IFITM and ABHD16A, either through controlling their expression or regulating their activities, could provide a broad-spectrum therapeutic strategy for animal viral diseases and complications linked to interferon elevation.