RNase L amplifies Interferon signaling by inducing PKR-mediated antiviral stress granules

Virus infection leads to activation of the interferon-induced endoribonuclease, RNase L, which results in degradation of viral and cellular RNAs. Both cellular and viral RNA cleavage products of RNase L bind pattern recognition receptors (PRR) like Retinoic acid-inducible I (Rig-I) and or melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) to further amplify interferon (IFN) production and antiviral response. Although much is known about the mechanics of ligand binding and PRR activation, how the cells coordinate RNA sensing to signaling response and interferon production remains unclear. We show that RNA cleavage products of RNase L activity induce formation of antiviral stress granule (avSG) by regulating activation of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-dependent protein kinase R (PKR), and recruit antiviral proteins Rig-I, PKR, OAS and RNase L to avSG. Biochemical analysis of purified avSG showed interaction of key stress granule protein, G3BP1, with only PKR and Rig-I and not with OAS or RNase L. AvSG assembly during RNase L activation is required for IRF3-mediated IFN production and not IFN signaling or proinflammatory cytokine induction. Consequently, cells lacking avSG formation or RNase L signaling produced less IFN and showed higher susceptibility during Sendai virus infection demonstrating the importance of avSG in RNase L-mediated host defense. During viral infection, we propose a role for RNase L-cleaved RNAs in inducing avSG containing antiviral proteins to provide a platform for efficient interaction of RNA ligands with pattern recognition receptors to enhance IFN production to effectively mount antiviral response. IMPORTANCE Double-stranded RNAs produced during viral infections serve as pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and bind pattern recognition receptors to stimulate IFN production. RNase L is an IFN-regulated endoribonuclease that is activated in virus-infected cells and cleaves single-stranded viral and cellular RNAs. The RNase L-cleaved dsRNAs signal to Rig-like helicases to amplify IFN production. This study identifies a novel role of antiviral stress granules induced by RNase L as an antiviral signaling hub to coordinate the RNA ligands with cognate receptors to mount effective host response during viral infections.