Cardif/MAVS (human) monoclonal antibody (58N3B6)

RIG-I (retinoic acid-inducible gene I; Ddx58) and MDA5 (melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5, also known as Ifih1 or Helicard) are proteins that sense viral replication intermediates, such as double-stranded RNA and triggers the host antiviral programs. These molecules signal the downstream activation of NF-κB and IFN regulatory factor (IRF) -3, which coordinately regulate the expression of type-I interferons. Cardif (also called VISA/IPS-1/MAVS) is a CARD (caspase activation and recruitment domain)-containing adaptor protein that interacts with the CARD domain of RIG-I and MDA5, leading to the activation of NF-κB and IRF3. Cardif is located to the mitochondrial outer membrane. Removal of the mitochondrial-targeting domain of cardif abolishes its ability to induce IFNs. Cardif is cleaved and inactivated by NS3-4A, a serine protease from hepatitis C virus known to block interferon-β production.