Apoptotic caspases cleave DRP1 to promote mitochondrial fusion and anti-viral immune responses

Apoptosis has been recognized as a suicidal host-defense programmed cell death pathway against invading pathogens. However, recent evidences showed that viruses can employ caspases to cleave and inactivate immune signaling molecules to facilitate infection. Whether caspases can instead promote anti-viral immune responses is currently unknown. Here, we demonstrated that the NSs protein of RVFV triggers activation of apoptotic caspases, which cleave the mitochondrial fission factor DRP1 resulting in mitochondrial elongation. Elongated mitochondria promote MAVS aggregation leading to enhanced anti-viral immunity. Apoptotic caspases, including caspase-3, -6, -7 and -8, cleave DRP1 at the motifs of D500FAD503 and/or AEAD556, suggesting that this cleavage event may occur during infection of different viruses. Indeed, infection of H1N1, SeV and HSV-1 all triggered apoptotic caspases activation to cleave DRP1 promoting anti-viral immune responses. Compared with wild-type DRP1, introduction of caspase-resistant DRP1 strongly attenuated immune responses triggered by virus infection. These results revealed a mechanism through which apoptotic caspases promote anti-viral immunity by regulating mitochondrial morphodynamics.