A single enzyme plays a critical role in helping the body effectively fight viral infection

The body’s initial response to invading bacteria or viruses is mediated by the innate immune system, wherein cells secrete signaling factors called cytokines that promote inflammation and stimulate a generalized counterattack against targets perceived as ‘foreign’. The protein Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), for instance, helps initiate the innate immune response against viruses. The researchers identified Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) as a TLR3-activating enzyme