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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.08.02.668285

Terminal Loop Sequences in Viral Double-Stranded RNAs Modulate RIG-I Signaling

Hackbart, M.·Wang, P.·Gnazzo, V.·Lopez, C. B.
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Abstract

Detection of foreign RNAs is a crucial activation step for innate immunity pathways in response to viral infections. Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is a cytoplasmic RNA sensor that triggers type I and III interferon (IFN) expression and activates the antiviral response in response to RNA virus infection. The activating ligand for RIG-I has been shown to be 5-triphosphated, blunt-ended, double-stranded (ds)RNA, but questions remain on the impact of other RNA motifs on RIG-I activation. Here we show that immune-activating copy-back viral genomes (cbVGs) contain RNA stem loops away from the 5 end of the RNA that enhance RIG-I signaling and IFN expression. Importantly, the sequence of the terminal loops of the activating motifs impacts the strength of IFN expression. Additionally, we show that synthetic versions of these cbVG-derived stem loops trigger innate immune responses in mice demonstrating their potential as immunostimulants in vivo.

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Hackbart, M., Wang, P., Gnazzo, V., Lopez, C. B.. 2025-08-04. Terminal Loop Sequences in Viral Double-Stranded RNAs Modulate RIG-I Signaling. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.08.02.668285

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