Pyruvate Carboxylase Activates the RIG-I-like Receptor-Mediated Antiviral Immune Response by Targeting the MAVS signalosome

When retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 protein (RIG-I)-like receptors sense viral dsRNA in the cytosol, RIG-I and melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) are recruited to the mitochondria to interact with mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) and initiate antiviral immune responses. In this study, we demonstrate that the biotin-containing enzyme pyruvate carboxylase (PC) plays an essential role in the virus-triggered activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) signaling mediated by MAVS. PC contributes to the enhanced production of type I interferons (IFNs) and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and PC knockdown inhibits the virus-triggered innate immune response. In addition, PC shows extensive antiviral activity against RNA viruses, including influenza A virus (IAV), human enterovirus 71 (EV71), and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Furthermore, PC mediates antiviral action by targeting the MAVS signalosome and induces IFNs and pro-inflammatory cytokines by promoting phosphorylation of NF-kappa B inhibitor-alpha (I kappa B alpha) and the I kappa B kinase (IKK) complex, as well as NF-kappa B nuclear translocation, which leads to activation of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), including double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) and myxovirus resistance protein 1 (Mx1). Our findings suggest that PC is an important player in host antiviral signaling.