title: The PYHIN protein family as mediators of host defenses.
abstract: The innate immune response is the first line of defense against infection and relies on the ability of immune cells to detect the presence of infection through germline-encoded pattern recognition receptors. These include the Toll-like receptors, the retinoic acid inducible gene-like receptors, the nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptors, and a number of DNA-sensing molecules. Members of the PYHIN protein family have recently emerged as sensors of microbial DNA. PYHIN proteins bind microbial DNA and form caspase-1-activating inflammasomes (AIM2) or drive type I IFN gene transcription (IFI16). Here, we review these discoveries and highlight the emerging role of the PYHIN protein family in mammalian host defenses.
authors: Division of Infectious Disease and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
authors: Stefan A
authors: SA
authors: Schattgen
authors: Katherine A
authors: KA
authors: Fitzgerald
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007239:Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000276:immunology*; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000276:immunology; D008322:Mammals; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition / Q000276:immunology*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004279:DNA, Viral; D058847:Inflammasomes; D007370:Interferon Type I; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C487565:PYHIN1 protein, human; D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition