Prof. Han Jiahuai and his team’s article, “RIP1/RIP3 Binding to HSV-1 ICP6 Initiates Necroptosis to Restrict Virus Propagation in Mice”, was published in Cell Host & Microbe on 11 February 2015.

    Their major findings include:

1. RIP3-mediated necroptosis plays a vital role in restricting HSV-1 propagation in mice.

2. In mice, HSV-1 ICP6 binds RIP1/3 and promotes their interaction, triggering necroptosis.

3. HSV-1 ICP6 initiates necroptosis in mouse cells but inhibits necroptosis in human cells.

4. Virus-host RHIM interactions can be either pro-necroptotic or anti-necroptotic.

    Prof. Han’s team is composed of the co-first author, Zhe Huang, graduates and colleagues in the School of Life Science, Xiamen University. They are Suqin Wu, Yaoji Liang, Xiaojuan Zhou, Wanze Chen, Lisheng Li, Jianfeng Wu, Qiuyu Zhuang, Chang’an Chen, Jingxian Li, Chuanqi Zhong, Weixiang Xia, Rongbin Zhou, and Chunfu Zheng.