Ma, FengLiu, Su-YangRazani, BahramArora, NedaLi, BingKagechika, HiroyukiTontonoz, PeterNúñez, VanessaRicote, MercedesCheng, Genhong2022-11-152022-11-152014-11-24Nat Commun. 2014 Nov 24;5:5494http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12105/15152The retinoid X receptor α (RXRα), a key nuclear receptor in metabolic processes, is downregulated during host antiviral response. However, the roles of RXRα in host antiviral response are unknown. Here we show that RXRα overexpression or ligand activation increases host susceptibility to viral infections in vitro and in vivo, while Rxra-/- or antagonist treatment reduces infection by the same viruses. Consistent with these functional studies, ligand activation of RXR inhibits the expression of antiviral genes including type I interferon (IFN) and Rxra-/- macrophages produce more IFNβ than WT macrophages in response to polyI:C stimulation. Further results indicate that ligand activation of RXR suppresses the nuclear translocation of β-catenin, a co-activator of IFNβ enhanceosome. Thus, our studies have uncovered a novel RXR-dependent innate immune regulatory pathway, suggesting that the downregulation of RXR expression or RXR antagonist treatment benefits host antiviral response, whereas RXR agonist treatment may increase the risk of viral infections.engVoRhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Active Transport, Cell NucleusAnimalsCell LineDown-RegulationFatty Acids, UnsaturatedHEK293 CellsHerpes SimplexHerpesvirus 1, HumanHumansInterferon-betaLigandsMacrophagesMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, KnockoutPoly I-CRNA InterferenceRNA, Small InterferingRetinoid X Receptor alphaTetrahydronaphthalenesVesicular StomatitisVesicular stomatitis Indiana virusViral Plaque Assaybeta CateninAtribución 4.0 Internacional2541764951549410.1038/ncomms64942041-1723Nature communicationsopen access