Genetic Reinstatement of RIG-I in Chickens Reveals Insights into Avian Immune Evolution and Influenza Interaction

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) activates mitochondrial antiviral signaling proteins, initiating the antiviral response. RIG-I and RNF135, a ubiquitin ligase regulator, are missing in domestic chickens but conserved in mallard ducks. The chickens RIG-I loss was long believed to be linked to increased avian influenza susceptibility. We reinstated both genes in chickens and examined their susceptibility to infection with an H7N1 avian influenza virus. Uninfected RIG-I-expressing chickens exhibited shifts in T and B cells. At the same time, the H7N1 infection led to severe disease, persistent weight loss, and increased viral replication compared to wild-type chickens. The simultaneous expression of RIG-I and RNF135 potentiated the RIG-I activity and was associated with exacerbated inflammatory response and increased mortality without influencing virus replication. Additional animal infection experiments with two other avian influenza viruses validated these findings. They confirmed that the harmful effects triggered by RIG-I or RIG-I-RNF135-expression require a minimum degree of viral virulence. Our data indicate that the loss of RIG-I in chickens has likely evolved to counteract deleterious inflammation caused by viral infection and highlight an outcome of restoring evolutionary lost genes in birds. Significance StatementThe evolutionary loss of a crucial innate immune sensor like RIG-I in domestic chickens and its presence in closely related avian species such as ducks has long puzzled researchers. We genetically reinstated RIG-I in chickens, alongside its ubiquitination factor, RNF135, to uncover their roles in responding to influenza virus interactions in chickens. Our findings suggest that the loss of RIG-I in chickens may have occurred as an adaptive strategy to mitigate harmful inflammation associated with influenza infection. We shed light on an outcome of reinstating evolutionarily lost genes in birds and open new avenues for understanding immune responses in vertebrates.