Viperin (D5T2X) Rabbit mAb #13996

The antiviral protein viperin (RSAD2) is induced by viral infection, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), polyriboinosinic polyribocytidylic acid [poly(I:C)], and interferons (1,2). Viperin protein localizes to the ER and redistributes to the Golgi and then to lipid droplets following viral infection (1,3). Viruses are known to use lipid droplets for replication, and the localization of the antiviral viperin protein to these lipid droplets is likely part of a cellular mechanism to inhibit these pathogens (4). Research studies indicate that induction of viperin by HIV in human macrophages inhibits virus production, and that siRNA targeting viperin reduced the inhibition of HIV replication observed in poly(I:C) treated astrocytes (5,6). Additional research suggests that human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) co-opts viperin protein function, resulting in an interaction between viperin and the viral protein vMIA. This association leads to relocalization of viperin to mitochondria, resulting in disruption of ATP generation and the actin cytoskeleton, and increased viral infection (7). The viperin protein also contributes to innate immune signaling by recruiting IRAK1 ant TRAF6 to lipid droplets, which results in activation of IRF7 and induction of type I interferon (8).