The human interferon-induced MxA protein inhibits early stages of influenza A virus infection by retaining the incoming viral genome in the cytoplasm

Abstract

The induction of an interferon-induced antiviral state is a powerful cellular response against viral infection that limits viral spread. Here we show that a pre-existing antiviral state inhibits replication of influenza A viruses in human A549 cells by preventing transport of the viral genome to the nucleus and the interferon-induced MxA protein is necessary but not sufficient for this process. This represents a previously unreported antiviral function of MxA against influenza A virus infection.