When a Virus Steps on a Mine: Ancient Mechanism of Infected Cell Self-Destruction Discovered
When a virus enters a cell, it disrupts the cell’s normal functions. It was previously believed that the cell's protective response to the virus triggered cellular self-destruction. However, a study involving bioinformatics researchers at HSE University has revealed a different mechanism: the cell does not react to the virus itself but to its own transcripts, which become abnormally long. The study has been published in Nature.
Many viruses act in a similar way: they block the activity of cellular genes and reprogram the cell to produce viral proteins. As a result, the cell stops making its protective molecules and becomes vulnerable. However, as researchers have discovered, this process can sometimes backfire against the viruses themselves.
Biologists and bioinformatics researchers from the USA, the UK, Germany, China, and Russia have investigated how cells are able to recognise a viral attack. The researchers infected cells with herpes and influenza viruses and used RIP sequencing to analyse the cells. This technology makes it possible to isolate RNAs associated with specific proteins within a cell and thereby observe how the activity of cellular genes changes after infection.
The analysis revealed that viral proteins prevent the cell from properly completing transcription—the process of reading information from DNA. As a result, RNA synthesis fails to stop at the right time, producing excessively long molecules instead of the required transcripts. These elongated RNAs contain fragments of 'junk' DNA—ancient viral insertions that have accumulated in our genome over millions of years of evolution. Under normal conditions, these regions remain inactive, but when transcription goes awry, they are read and form structures with a unique shape: left-handed double helices, known as Z-RNA.
An increased number of such molecules is perceived by the cell as a danger signal. Their recognition is carried out by the ZBP1 protein, a sensor of intracellular immunity. As soon as it detects the accumulation of Z-RNA, the cell activates a self-destruction program—apoptosis or necroptosis. As a result, the virus does not have time to exploit the cell’s resources for its own replication.
Maria Poptsova
'It turns out that when a virus tries to suppress the activity of cellular genes and exploit the cell’s resources for its own replication, it triggers the cell’s self-destruction mechanism. It’s as if the virus steps on a mine laid by innate immunity: the cell dies along with the virus, preventing its further spread,' comments Maria Poptsova, Head of the Centre for Biomedical Research and Technology at the HSE Faculty of Computer Science.
The scientists suggest that this protective mechanism may also operate in other viral infections that disrupt the transcription process. Moreover, the researchers were able to reproduce the same effect artificially: the drug JTE-607, currently in clinical trials as an anticancer agent, also induces the formation of Z-RNA. This mechanism could potentially be harnessed in therapy—for instance, to selectively trigger the death of cancer cells or to enhance the immune response.
The study was conducted with support from HSE University's Basic Research Programme within the framework of the Centres of Excellence project.
See also:
Russian Scientists Propose Method to Speed Up Microwave Filter Design
Researchers at HSE MIEM, in collaboration with colleagues from the Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics (MTUCI), have implemented a novel approach to designing microwave filters—generative synthesis using machine learning tools. The proposed method reduces the filter development cycle from several days to just a few minutes and in the future could be applied to the design of other microwave electronic devices. The results were presented at the IEEE International Conference '2026 Systems of Signals Generating and Processing in the Field of on Board Communications.'
Scientists Find That Only Technological Innovations Consistently Advance Environmental Sustainability
Renewable energy and labour productivity do not always contribute to environmental sustainability. Technological innovation is the only factor that consistently has a positive effect. This is the conclusion reached by an international team of researchers, including Natalia Veselitskaya, Leading Research Fellow at the HSE ISSEK Foresight Centre. The study has been published in Sustainable Development.
HSE’s CardioLife Test Among Winners of Data Fusion Awards 2026
The CardioLife genetic test—a development by the Centre for Biomedical Research and Technologies of the AI and Digital Science Institute at HSE University’s Faculty of Computer Science—has won the All-Russian cross-industry Data Fusion Awards, which recognise achievements in data and AI technologies. The project took first place in the Science–Business Partnership category, demonstrating a successful model for transferring technology from university research into the real healthcare sector.
HSE Researchers Train Neural Network to Predict Protein–Protein Interactions More Accurately
Scientists at the AI and Digital Science Institute of the HSE Faculty of Computer Science have developed a model capable of predicting protein–protein interactions with 95% accuracy. GSMFormer-PPI integrates three types of protein data (including information about protein surface properties) to analyse relationships between proteins, rather than simply combining datasets as in previous models. The solution could accelerate the discovery of disease molecular mechanisms, biomarkers, and potential therapeutic targets. The paper has been published in Scientific Reports.
HSE University Installs Geoscan Station at IIT Bombay
A Russian ground station for receiving SONIKS satellite data has been installed on the campus of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay). Developed by Geoscan, the system will become part of a mirror laboratory project run jointly by HSE University and one of India’s leading universities.
HSE MIEM and MTS Launch Workshop on Innovative Solutions in Communication Networks
The HSE Tikhonov Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (MIEM) and MTS are launching a joint workshop in which students will work at the intersection of communications network engineering, data analysis, and digital technologies. The project is designed as a practice-oriented learning format, enabling students to tackle real industry challenges alongside company engineers and MIEM specialists. Registration to participate in the workshop is open until April 15, 2026.
HSE Scientists Uncover Mechanism Behind Placental Lipid Metabolism Disorders in Preeclampsia
Scientists at HSE University have discovered that in preeclampsia—one of the most severe complications of pregnancy—the placenta remodels its lipid metabolism, reducing its own cholesterol synthesis while increasing cholesterol transfer to the foetus. This compensatory mechanism helps sustain foetal nutrition but accelerates placental deterioration and may lead to preterm birth. The study findings have been published in Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences.
HSE Experts Reveal Low Accuracy of Technology Forecasts in Transportation
HSE researchers evaluated the accuracy of technology forecasts in the transportation sector over the past 50 years and found that the average accuracy rate does not exceed 25%, with the lowest accuracy observed in aviation and rail transport. According to the scientists, this is due to limitations of the forecasting method and the inherent complexities of the sector. The study findings have been published in Technological Forecasting and Social Change.
Wearable Device Data and Saliva Biomarkers Help Assess Stress Resilience
A team of scientists, including researchers from HSE University, has proposed a method for assessing stress resilience using physiological markers derived from wearable devices and saliva samples. The participants who adapted better to stress showed higher heart rate variability, higher zinc concentrations in saliva, and lower potassium levels. The findings were published in the Journal of Molecular Neuroscience.
HSE Unveils Anthropomorphic Courier Robot
From April 1 to 3, 2026, the Fourth Robotics Festival took place, with the HSE Faculty of Computer Science acting as the main organiser. The event featured the presentation of the anthropomorphic courier robot Arkus. The humanoid was introduced by the Institute for Robotic Systems, established jointly by HSE University and the EFKO Group of Companies.