N-terminal domain of classical swine fever virus N pro induces proteasomal degradation of specificity protein 1 with reduced HDAC1 expression to evade from innate immune responses

Of the flaviviruses, only CSFV and bovine viral diarrhea virus express Npro as the non-structural protein which is not essential for viral replication but functions to dampen host innate immunity. We have deciphered a novel mechanism with which CSFV uses to evade the host antiviral immunity by the N-terminal domain of its Npro to facilitate proteasomal degradation of Sp1 with subsequent reduction of HDAC1 and ISG15 expression. This is distinct from earlier findings involving Npro-mediated IRF3 degradation via the C-terminal domain. This study provides insights for further studies on how HDAC1 plays its role in antiviral immunity, and if and how other viral proteins, such as the core protein of CSFV, the nucleocapsid protein of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, or even other coronaviruses, exert antiviral immune responses via the Sp1-HDAC1 axis. Such research may lead to a deeper understanding of viral immune evasion strategies as part of their pathogenetic mechanisms.