Long noncoding RNA 1392 regulates MDA5 by interaction with ELAVL1 to inhibit coxsackievirus B5 infection

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) modulate many aspects of biological and pathological processes. Recent studies have shown that host lncRNAs participate in the antiviral immune response, but functional lncRNAs in coxsackievirus B5 (CVB5) infection remain unknown. Here, we identified a novel cytoplasmic lncRNA, LINC1392, which was highly inducible in CVB5 infected RD cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner, and also can be induced by the viral RNA and IFN-β. Further investigation showed that LINC1392 promoted several important interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) expression, including IFIT1, IFIT2, and IFITM3 by activating MDA5, thereby inhibiting the replication of CVB5 in vitro. Mechanistically, LINC1392 bound to ELAV like RNA binding protein 1 (ELAVL1) and blocked ELAVL1 interaction with MDA5. Functional study revealed that the 245–835 ​nt locus of LINC1392 exerted the antiviral effect and was also an important site for ELAVL1 binding. In mice, LINC1392 could inhibit CVB5 replication and alleviated the histopathological lesions of intestinal and brain tissues induced by viral infection. Our findings collectively reveal that the novel LINC1392 acts as a positive regulator in the IFN-I signaling pathway against CVB5 infection. Elucidating the underlying mechanisms on how lncRNA regulats the host innate immunity response towards CVB5 infection will lay the foundation for antiviral drug research.