Communications Biology (Mar 2022)
H5N1 infection impairs the alveolar epithelial barrier through intercellular junction proteins via Itch-mediated proteasomal degradation
Abstract
Ruan et al. investigate the effect of H5N1 infection on the expression of intercellular junction proteins (E-cadherin, Occludin, Claudin-1, and ZO-1), which they find results in reduced expression of these proteins via activation of TAK1, p38, and ERK, leading to an induction of Itch. The authors report that Itch activation then results in ubiquitination and degradation of these cellular junction proteins.