Infection with the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, results in pneumonia and other respiratory symptoms as well as pathologies at diverse anatomical sites. An outstanding question is whether these diverse pathologies are due to replication of the virus in these anatomical compartments and how and when the virus reaches those sites. To...
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis (HSE) is the most common cause of sporadic fatal encephalitis, and despite targeted antiviral therapy, outcomes remain poor. While rare in adults, neonates are significantly more susceptible to severe HSV disease. Understanding both the host and viral factors that contribute to pathogenesis is critical to...
RNA viruses cause a wide range of diseases that range from mild respiratory illness to fatal hemorrhagic fevers. To combat these pathogens, most cells in the human body scan the cell for viruses and activate a potent cell-intrinsic immune response by producing interferon (IFN), a cytokine that amplifies the innate...
The microtubule (MT) network and associated regulatory proteins play a critical role during viral infection from facilitating viral particle transport towards the nucleus upon entry to later mediating virion assembly and egress. Many of the precise mechanisms by which viruses commandeer the host MT network to propagate infection remain poorly...
Receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) is a core small (40S) ribosomal subunit protein whose structure is highly conserved among eukaryotes apart from a C-terminal extended loop. We previously showed that a poxvirus kinase phosphorylates this flexible loop in human RACK1, mimicking endogenous negative charge in plant RACK1 to...
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a ubiquitous human pathogen capable of causing debilitating diseases such as herpes stromal keratitis (HSK) and herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE). Although HSV infection initiates disease pathogenesis, the resulting clinical manifestations are attributed to immunopathological events that occur following viral clearance. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms...
Newborns are particularly susceptible to severe forms of herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1) infection including encephalitis and multisystemic disseminated disease. The underlying age-dependent differences in the immune response that explain this increased susceptibility relative to the adult population remain largely understudied. Evidence from animal studies and genetic studies in...
Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is a rare and severely debilitating life-threatening disease caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection of the human central nervous system (CNS). The severe and often fatal outcomes of HSE contrast starkly with the more frequent and largely benign consequences of herpes labialis. Whole...
Type I interferon (IFN) is the primary antiviral cytokine establishing a broad and potent antiviral response to protect mammalian cells from virus infection. The functional repertoire of IFN extends to innate and adaptive immunity, neoplastic transformation, resistance and cancer immunotherapy. IFN functions are primarily mediated through the Janus kinase (JAK)...
