Fig. 1

Illustration of the anti-inflammatory role of microglia in viral encephalitis. The picture shows that microglia can sense ATP signals through the purinergic receptor P2Y12 and are recruited around infected neurons to exert phagocytic activity. Microglia can exert a direct antiviral effect by producing type 1 interferon (IFN-1) to induce IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) expression of themselves. IFN produced by microglia exects indirect antiviral effects by acting on other cells to activate corresponding signaling pathways