Scientists at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Hyderabad, have discovered a protein that helps human cells detect viral infections and activate the body’s immune defences, opening up a potential avenue for developing broad-spectrum antiviral therapies.
The study, led by Dr. Santosh Chauhan’s group, identifies DZIP3 as a dual-action protein that detects viral genetic material and activates key immune defence mechanisms. The findings, published in The EMBO Journal, demonstrate that the protein triggers an immune response against several disease-causing viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, Chikungunya and Japanese Encephalitis.
The discovery could provide a foundation for developing treatments that strengthen the body’s natural ability to fight a range of viral infections.
How DZIP3 activates immune defences
When a virus enters a human cell, the immune system must identify the invading pathogen and activate its defences before the virus can multiply. The new research reveals how DZIP3 performs a critical role in this early detection and response process.
Around seven years ago, Dr. Chauhan’s group hypothesised that certain human proteins could perform two functions: detecting viral genetic material and activating the cellular machinery responsible for triggering an immune response.
The latest study identifies DZIP3 as a protein that fulfils both functions.
When DZIP3 detects viral RNA inside a cell, it undergoes a structural change that activates the protein. It then moves to the mitochondria, the cell’s energy-producing structures, where it tags and activates key immune defence proteins.
This process triggers the production of Type-I interferons, signalling molecules that help the body’s immune system combat viral infections by restricting viral multiplication.
The findings establish a previously unidentified pathway through which human cells recognise viral threats and initiate an immune response.
Potential for broad-spectrum antiviral drugs
The research team demonstrated that the DZIP3-mediated pathway provides protection against multiple viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, Chikungunya virus and the virus responsible for Japanese Encephalitis.
The ability of this pathway to respond to different viral infections makes it a potential target for developing broad-spectrum antiviral treatments. However, further research and testing will be necessary to establish whether therapies targeting DZIP3 can be developed safely and effectively.
Building on the discovery, the team is developing small-molecule drug candidates designed to target and enhance DZIP3 activity, with the aim of boosting the body’s natural antiviral immunity.
“Discovering how DZIP3 senses viral RNA and directly triggers the cell’s immune machinery gives us a deeper understanding of human immunity,” said Dr. Santosh Chauhan, Senior Principal Scientist at CSIR-CCMB and lead author of the study.
He said identifying these natural cellular defence mechanisms could open up new possibilities for developing broad-spectrum antiviral therapies against emerging viral threats.
Research funded by Department of Biotechnology
Dr. Rinku Sahu was the first author of the study, which involved collaborators from national and international institutions.
The research was funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India.
The findings add to scientific understanding of how human cells recognise viral infections and activate their innate immune defences. By identifying DZIP3 as both a viral RNA sensor and an activator of immune signalling, the study provides a new direction for research into treatments that could help combat multiple viral diseases.