Epigenetic regulation in antiviral innate immunity

Emerging life-threatening viruses have posed great challenges to public health. It is now increasingly clear that epigenetics plays a role in shaping host-virus interactions and there is a great need for a more thorough understanding of these intricate interactions through the epigenetic lens, which may represent potential therapeutic opportunities in the clinic. In this review, we highlight the current understanding of the roles of key epigenetic regulators - chromatin remodeling and histone modification - in modulating chromatin openness during host defense against virus. We also discuss how the RNA modification m6A (N6-methyladenosine) affects fundamental aspects of host-virus interactions. We conclude with future directions for uncovering more detailed functions that epigenetic regulation exerts on both host cells and viruses during infection.

Automated summary

The emergence of life-threatening viruses poses challenges to public health, with epigenetics playing a crucial role in host-virus interactions. Understanding these interactions through an epigenetic lens may offer therapeutic opportunities. This review discusses the roles of chromatin remodeling, histone modification, and m6A RNA modification in modulating chromatin openness during host defense against viruses, highlighting the need for future research in this area.