Study Findings from Lanzhou University Broaden Understanding of Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (The Foot-and-mouth Disease Virus Lb Protease Cleaves Intracellular Transcription Factors Stat1 and Stat2 To Antagonize Ifn-13-induced Signaling).

A study conducted by researchers at Lanzhou University in China has shed light on the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) and its ability to suppress the innate immune response. The researchers focused on the JAK-STAT signaling pathway, which is involved in antiviral gene expression. They discovered that the Lb leader protease (Lbpro) of FMDV inhibits IFN-13-induced signaling transduction by interacting with STAT1 and STAT2, two transcription factors involved in the pathway. Lbpro was found to cleave STAT1 and STAT2, inhibiting their function and revealing a novel mechanism for viral immune evasion. [Extracted from the article]