Mini viral RNAs act as innate immune agonists during influenza virus infection | Nature Microbiology

Mini viral RNAs act as innate immune agonists during influenza virus infection | Nature Microbiology

NIAID Scientists Confirm Role of New Molecule in Deadly 1918 Influenza Infection

NIAID scientists at Rocky Mountain Laboratories have assisted colleagues in confirming the role of a molecule in the immune system’s deadly response to 1918 H1N1 influenza virus infection. Discovered by researchers at the universities of Cambridge and Oxford, the mini-viral RNA molecule is produced by the 1918 Spanish flu virus and can trigger an inflammatory response strong enough to kill the host. RML scientists contributed data from infected ferrets showing the presence of the molecule and a robust, but harmful, immune response.