Research in the Gale laboratory is focused on understanding innate immunity to virus infection, the intracellular immune processes and virus-host interactions that govern viral replication and infection outcome. In addition to studying West Nile virus, influenza virus, and human immunodeficiency virus, the laboratory is a component of the Hepatitis C virus Cooperative Research Centers supported by the NIH.

Virus infection of mammalian cells triggers an intracellular immune response, termed the “innate immune response” that functions to suppress replication and spread of the virus. During infection specific motifs within viral products are recognized as pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by cellular factors called pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs). Studies in the Gale laboratory have defined the retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) as the major PRR that triggers immunity against hepatitis C virus. Accumulating evidence now indicates that immunity against RNA viruses is largely triggered through the PRR actions of RIG-I and/or a related protein called MDA5. RIG-I and MDA5 are cytosolic RNA helicase and are expressed at a low levels in most cells. During virus infection RIG-I or MDA5 binds to RNA PAMP motifs of viral genome or replication product RNA generated by specific viruses. RIG-I binding of viral RNA triggers its downstream signaling to induce the activation of latent transcription factors and the eventual production of alpha/beta interferons and expression of interferon-stimulated genes. These processes induce the innate immune response that serves to limit virus replication and spread. Many viruses direct actions of immune evasion through regulation of innate immune signaling and function. Our studies have linked the course of virus infection to regulation of innate immune processes, and have identified novel interactions as therapeutic targets for the intervention of infection.