Innate immunity to West Nile virus initiated by the negative-sense viral RNA

RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) detect viral RNA during viral infection only in some “first-responder” cells to trigger immunity response.

The researchers found during West Nile virus infection specific accumulation of antigenomic negative-sense viral RNA (−vRNA) underlies innate immune activation and that RIG-I preferentially interacts with −vRNA.

The authors found that single-stranded −vRNA accumulates outside of replication compartments in first-responder cells, rendering it accessible to RLRs. 

Exposure of this −vRNA occurs at late time points of infection, is linked to viral assembly, and depends on the expression of viral structural proteins. 

https://www.cell.com/molecular-cell/fulltext/S1097-2765(25)00050-4

https://sciencemission.com/negative-sense-viral-RNA-and-West-Nile-virus