Allosteric inhibition of the IRE1α RNase preserves cell viability and function during endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Depending on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress levels, the ER transmembrane multidomain protein IRE1α promotes either adaptation or apoptosis. Unfolded ER proteins cause IRE1α lumenal domain homo-oligomerization, inducing trans autophosphorylation that further drives homo-oligomerization of its cytosolic kinase/endoribonuclease (RNase) domains to activate mRNA splicing of adaptive XBP1 transcription factor. However, under high/chronic ER stress, IRE1α surpasses an oligomerization threshold that expands RNase substrate repertoire to many ER-localized mRNAs, leading to apoptosis. To modulate these effects, we developed ATP-competitive IRE1α Kinase-Inhibiting RNase Attenuators-KIRAs-that allosterically inhibit IRE1α's RNase by breaking oligomers. One optimized KIRA, KIRA6, inhibits IRE1α in vivo and promotes cell survival under ER stress. Intravitreally, KIRA6 preserves photoreceptor functional viability in rat models of ER stress-induced retinal degeneration. Systemically, KIRA6 preserves pancreatic ß cells, increases insulin, and reduces hyperglycemia in Akita diabetic mice. Thus, IRE1α powerfully controls cell fate but can itself be controlled with small molecules to reduce cell degeneration.

Direct inhibition of tumor hypoxia response with synthetic transcriptional repressors.

Many oncogenic transcription factors (TFs) are considered to be undruggable because of their reliance on large protein-protein and protein-DNA interfaces. TFs such as hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) and X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1) are induced by hypoxia and other stressors in solid tumors and bind to unfolded protein response element (UPRE) and hypoxia-induced response element (HRE) motifs to control oncogenic gene programs. Here, we report a strategy to create synthetic transcriptional repressors (STRs) that mimic the basic leucine zipper domain of XBP1 and recognize UPRE and HRE motifs. A lead molecule, STR22, binds UPRE and HRE DNA sequences with high fidelity and competes with both TFs in cells. Under hypoxia, STR22 globally suppresses HIF1α binding to HRE-containing promoters and enhancers, inhibits hypoxia-induced gene expression and blocks protumorigenic phenotypes in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. In vivo, intratumoral and systemic STR22 treatment inhibited hypoxia-dependent gene expression, primary tumor growth and metastasis of TNBC tumors. These data validate a novel strategy to target the tumor hypoxia response through coordinated inhibition of TF-DNA binding.

The Integrated Stress Response in Pancreatic Development, Tissue Homeostasis, and Cancer.

Present in all eukaryotic cells, the integrated stress response (ISR) is a highly coordinated signaling network that controls cellular behavior, metabolism, and survival in response to diverse stresses. The ISR is initiated when any 1 of 4 stress-sensing kinases (protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase [PERK], general control non-derepressible 2 [GCN2], double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase [PKR], heme-regulated eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α kinase [HRI]) becomes activated to phosphorylate the protein translation initiation factor eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α), shifting gene expression toward a comprehensive rewiring of cellular machinery to promote adaptation. Although the ISR has been shown to play an important role in the homeostasis of multiple tissues, evidence suggests that it is particularly crucial for the development and ongoing health of the pancreas. Among the most synthetically dynamic tissues in the body, the exocrine and endocrine pancreas relies heavily on the ISR to rapidly adjust cell function to meet the metabolic demands of the organism. The hardwiring of the ISR into normal pancreatic functions and adaptation to stress may explain why it is a commonly used pro-oncogenic and therapy-resistance mechanism in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Here, we review what is known about the key roles that the ISR plays in the development, homeostasis, and neoplasia of the pancreas.

IRE1alpha kinase activation modes control alternate endoribonuclease outputs to determine divergent cell fates.

During endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, homeostatic signaling through the unfolded protein response (UPR) augments ER protein-folding capacity. If homeostasis is not restored, the UPR triggers apoptosis. We found that the ER transmembrane kinase/endoribonuclease (RNase) IRE1alpha is a key component of this apoptotic switch. ER stress induces IRE1alpha kinase autophosphorylation, activating the RNase to splice XBP1 mRNA and produce the homeostatic transcription factor XBP1s. Under ER stress--or forced autophosphorylation--IRE1alpha's RNase also causes endonucleolytic decay of many ER-localized mRNAs, including those encoding chaperones, as early events culminating in apoptosis. Using chemical genetics, we show that kinase inhibitors bypass autophosphorylation to activate the RNase by an alternate mode that enforces XBP1 splicing and averts mRNA decay and apoptosis. Alternate RNase activation by kinase-inhibited IRE1alpha can be reconstituted in vitro. We propose that divergent cell fates during ER stress hinge on a balance between IRE1alpha RNase outputs that can be tilted with kinase inhibitors to favor survival.

Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Signaling in Cancer Cells.

To survive, cancer cells must resist numerous internal and environmental insults associated with neoplasia that jeopardize proteostasis within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Solid and hematopoietic tumors often experience genomic instability, oncogene activation, increased protein secretion demands, and somatic mutations in proteins handled by the secretory pathway that impede their folding. Invasion or metastasis into foreign environments can expose tumor cells to hypoxia, oxidative stress, lack of growth signals, inadequate amino acid supplies, glucose deprivation, and lactic acidosis, all of which pose challenges for protein processing in the ER. Together, these conditions can promote the buildup of misfolded proteins in the ER to cause ER stress, which then activates the unfolded protein response (UPR). An intracellular signaling network largely initiated by three ER transmembrane proteins, the UPR constantly surveils protein folding conditions within the ER lumen and when necessary initiates counteractive measures to maintain ER homeostasis. Under mild or moderate levels of ER stress, the homeostatic UPR sets in motion transcriptional and translational changes that promote cell adaption and survival. However, if these processes are unsuccessful at resolving ER stress, a terminal UPR program dominates and actively signals cell suicide. This article summarizes the mounting evidence that cancer cells are predisposed to ER stress and vulnerable to targeted interventions against ongoing UPR signaling.

Endoplasmic reticulum proteostasis: a key checkpoint in cancer.

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is an intracellular signaling network largely controlled by three endoplasmic reticulum (ER) transmembrane proteins, inositol-requiring enzyme 1α, PRK-like ER kinase, and activating transcription factor 6, that monitor the protein-folding status of the ER and initiate corrective measures to maintain ER homeostasis. Hypoxia, nutrient deprivation, proteasome dysfunction, sustained demands on the secretory pathway or somatic mutations in its client proteins, conditions often encountered by cancer cells, can lead to the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER and cause "ER stress." Under remediable levels of ER stress, the homeostatic UPR outputs activate transcriptional and translational changes that promote cellular adaptation. However, if the ER stress is irreversible despite these measures, a terminal UPR program supersedes that actively signals cell destruction. In addition to its prosurvival and prodeath outputs, the UPR is now recognized to play a major role in the differentiation and activation of specific immune cells, as well as proinflammatory cytokine production in many cell types. Given the numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors that threaten the fidelity of the secretory pathway in cancer cells, it is not surprising that ER stress is documented in many solid and hematopoietic malignancies, but whether ongoing UPR signaling is beneficial or detrimental to tumor growth remains hotly debated. Here I review recent evidence that cancer cells are prone to loss of proteostasis within the ER, and hence may be susceptible to targeted interventions that either reduce homeostatic UPR outputs or alternatively trigger the terminal UPR.

Immune evasion mediated by tumor-derived lactate dehydrogenase induction of NKG2D ligands on myeloid cells in glioblastoma patients.

Myeloid cells are key regulators of the tumor microenvironment, governing local immune responses. Here we report that tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells and circulating monocytes in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) express ligands for activating the Natural killer group 2, member D (NKG2D) receptor, which cause down-regulation of NKG2D on natural killer (NK) cells. Tumor-infiltrating NK cells isolated from GBM patients fail to lyse NKG2D ligand-expressing tumor cells. We demonstrate that lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoform 5 secreted by glioblastoma cells induces NKG2D ligands on monocytes isolated from healthy individuals. Furthermore, sera from GBM patients contain elevated amounts of LDH, which correlate with expression of NKG2D ligands on their autologous circulating monocytes. NKG2D ligands also are present on circulating monocytes isolated from patients with breast, prostate, and hepatitis C virus-induced hepatocellular carcinomas. Together, these findings reveal a previously unidentified immune evasion strategy whereby tumors produce soluble factors that induce NKG2D ligands on myeloid cells, subverting antitumor immune responses.

Dual blockade of lipid and cyclin-dependent kinases induces synthetic lethality in malignant glioma.

Malignant glioma, the most common primary brain tumor, is generally incurable. Although phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) signaling features prominently in glioma, inhibitors generally block proliferation rather than induce apoptosis. Starting with an inhibitor of both lipid and protein kinases that induced prominent apoptosis and that failed early clinical development because of its broad target profile and overall toxicity, we identified protein kinase targets, the blockade of which showed selective synthetic lethality when combined with PI3K inhibitors. Prioritizing protein kinase targets for which there are clinical inhibitors, we demonstrate that cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)1/2 inhibitors, siRNAs against CDK1/2, and the clinical CDK1/2 inhibitor roscovitine all cooperated with the PI3K inhibitor PIK-90, blocking the antiapoptotic protein Survivin and driving cell death. In addition, overexpression of CDKs partially blocked some of the apoptosis caused by PIK-75. Roscovitine and PIK-90, in combination, were well tolerated in vivo and acted in a synthetic-lethal manner to induce apoptosis in human glioblastoma xenografts. We also tested clinical Akt and CDK inhibitors, demonstrating induction of apoptosis in vitro and providing a preclinical rationale to test this combination therapy in patients.

Divergent allosteric control of the IRE1α endoribonuclease using kinase inhibitors.

Under endoplasmic reticulum stress, unfolded protein accumulation leads to activation of the endoplasmic reticulum transmembrane kinase/endoRNase (RNase) IRE1α. IRE1α oligomerizes, autophosphorylates and initiates splicing of XBP1 mRNA, thus triggering the unfolded protein response (UPR). Here we show that IRE1α's kinase-controlled RNase can be regulated in two distinct modes with kinase inhibitors: one class of ligands occupies IRE1α's kinase ATP-binding site to activate RNase-mediated XBP1 mRNA splicing even without upstream endoplasmic reticulum stress, whereas a second class can inhibit the RNase through the same ATP-binding site, even under endoplasmic reticulum stress. Thus, alternative kinase conformations stabilized by distinct classes of ATP-competitive inhibitors can cause allosteric switching of IRE1α's RNase--either on or off. As dysregulation of the UPR has been implicated in a variety of cell degenerative and neoplastic disorders, small-molecule control over IRE1α should advance efforts to understand the UPR's role in pathophysiology and to develop drugs for endoplasmic reticulum stress-related diseases.

Inhibition of the eukaryotic initiation factor-2α kinase PERK decreases risk of autoimmune diabetes in mice.

Preventing the onset of autoimmune type 1 diabetes (T1D) is feasible through pharmacological interventions that target molecular stress-responsive mechanisms. Cellular stresses, such as nutrient deficiency, viral infection, or unfolded proteins, trigger the integrated stress response (ISR), which curtails protein synthesis by phosphorylating eukaryotic translation initiation factor-2α (eIF2α). In T1D, maladaptive unfolded protein response (UPR) in insulin-producing ß cells renders these cells susceptible to autoimmunity. We found that inhibition of the eIF2α kinase PKR-like ER kinase (PERK), a common component of the UPR and ISR, reversed the mRNA translation block in stressed human islets and delayed the onset of diabetes, reduced islet inflammation, and preserved ß cell mass in T1D-susceptible mice. Single-cell RNA-Seq of islets from PERK-inhibited mice showed reductions in the UPR and PERK signaling pathways and alterations in antigen-processing and presentation pathways in ß cells. Spatial proteomics of islets from these mice showed an increase in the immune checkpoint protein programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in ß cells. Golgi membrane protein 1, whose levels increased following PERK inhibition in human islets and EndoC-ßH1 human ß cells, interacted with and stabilized PD-L1. Collectively, our studies show that PERK activity enhances ß cell immunogenicity and that inhibition of PERK may offer a strategy for preventing or delaying the development of T1D.

Inhibition of the Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2-α Kinase PERK Decreases Risk of Autoimmune Diabetes in Mice.

Preventing the onset of autoimmune type 1 diabetes (T1D) is feasible through pharmacological interventions that target molecular stress-responsive mechanisms. Cellular stresses, such as nutrient deficiency, viral infection, or unfolded proteins, trigger the integrated stress response (ISR), which curtails protein synthesis by phosphorylating eIF2α. In T1D, maladaptive unfolded protein response (UPR) in insulin-producing ß cells renders these cells susceptible to autoimmunity. We show that inhibition of the eIF2α kinase PERK, a common component of the UPR and ISR, reverses the mRNA translation block in stressed human islets and delays the onset of diabetes, reduces islet inflammation, and preserves ß cell mass in T1D-susceptible mice. Single-cell RNA sequencing of islets from PERK-inhibited mice shows reductions in the UPR and PERK signaling pathways and alterations in antigen processing and presentation pathways in ß cells. Spatial proteomics of islets from these mice shows an increase in the immune checkpoint protein PD-L1 in ß cells. Golgi membrane protein 1, whose levels increase following PERK inhibition in human islets and EndoC-ßH1 human ß cells, interacts with and stabilizes PD-L1. Collectively, our studies show that PERK activity enhances ß cell immunogenicity, and inhibition of PERK may offer a strategy to prevent or delay the development of T1D.

Multiple defects, including premature apoptosis, prevent Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus replication in murine cells.

The development of a mouse model for Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection has been impeded by the limited host range of the virus. Here, we have examined the molecular basis of this host range restriction. KSHV efficiently enters murine cells and establishes latency. However, ectopic expression of the lytic switch protein RTA (replication and transcription activator) in these cells induces little viral gene expression and no virus production. Upon treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitors, KSHV-infected murine cells display more extensive but aberrant viral transcription and do not support either viral DNA synthesis or the production of infectious virions. These aberrantly infected cells also display markedly enhanced apoptosis. Genetic ablation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in these cells prolongs their survival and permits viral DNA replication but does not rescue the generation of virions. We conclude that multiple defects, both prior to and following DNA synthesis, restrict lytic KSHV infection in murine cells.

DISSECTING TUMOR TRANSCRIPTIONAL HETEROGENEITY FROM SINGLE-CELL RNA-SEQ DATA BY GENERALIZED BINARY COVARIANCE DECOMPOSITION.

Profiling tumors with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has the potential to identify recurrent patterns of transcription variation related to cancer progression, and so produce new therapeutically-relevant insights. However, the presence of strong inter-tumor heterogeneity often obscures more subtle patterns that are shared across tumors, some of which may characterize clinically-relevant disease subtypes. Here we introduce a new statistical method to address this problem. We show that this method can help decompose transcriptional heterogeneity into interpretable components - including patient-specific, dataset-specific and shared components relevant to disease subtypes - and that, in the presence of strong inter-tumor heterogeneity, our method can produce more interpretable results than existing widely-used methods. Applied to data from three studies on pancreatic cancer adenocarcinoma (PDAC), our method produces a refined characterization of existing tumor subtypes (e.g. classical vs basal), and identifies a new gene expression program (GEP) that is prognostic of poor survival independent of established prognostic factors such as tumor stage and subtype. The new GEP is enriched for genes involved in a variety of stress responses, and suggests a potentially important role for the integrated stress response in PDAC development and prognosis.

Acute Recurrent Pancreatitis in a Child With INS-Related Monogenic Diabetes and a Heterozygous Pathogenic CFTR Mutation.

Given the close anatomical and physiological links between the exocrine and endocrine pancreas, diseases of 1 compartment often affect the other through mechanisms that remain poorly understood. Pancreatitis has been associated with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but its association with monogenic diabetes is unknown. Patients heterozygous for pathogenic CFTR variants are cystic fibrosis carriers and have been reported to have an increased risk of acute pancreatitis. We describe a 12-year-old patient with monogenic neonatal diabetes due to a pathogenic heterozygous paternally inherited mutation of the insulin gene (INS), c.94 G > A (p.Gly32Ser), who experienced 3 recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis over 7 months in conjunction with poor glycemic control, despite extensive efforts to improve glycemic control in the past 4 years. Intriguingly, the maternal side of the family has an extensive history of adult-onset pancreatitis consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance and the proband is heterozygous for a maternally inherited, CFTR variant c.3909C > G (p.Asn1303Lys). Paternally inherited monogenic neonatal diabetes may have promoted earlier age-of-onset of pancreatitis in this pediatric patient compared to maternal relatives with adult-onset acute pancreatitis. Further study is needed to clarify how separate pathophysiologies associated with INS and CFTR mutations influence interactions between the endocrine and exocrine pancreas.

Deletion of the Unfolded Protein Response Transducer IRE1α Is Detrimental to Aging Photoreceptors and to ER Stress-Mediated Retinal Degeneration.

Purpose: The unfolded protein response (UPR) is triggered when the protein folding capacity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is overwhelmed and misfolded proteins accumulate in the ER, a condition referred to as ER stress. IRE1α is an ER-resident protein that plays major roles in orchestrating the UPR. Several lines of evidence implicate the UPR and its transducers in neurodegenerative diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a group of inherited diseases that cause progressive dysfunction and loss of rod and cone photoreceptors. This study evaluated the contribution of IRE1α to photoreceptor development, homeostasis, and degeneration. Methods: We used a conditional gene targeting strategy to selectively inactivate Ire1α in mouse rod photoreceptors. We used a combination of optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, histology, and electroretinography (ERG) to assess longitudinally the effect of IRE1α deficiency in retinal development and function. Furthermore, we evaluated the IRE1α-deficient retina responses to tunicamycin-induced ER stress and in the context of RP caused by the rhodopsin mutation RhoP23H. Results: OCT imaging, histology, and ERG analyses did not reveal abnormalities in IRE1α-deficient retinas up to 3 months old. However, by 6 months of age, the Ire1α mutant animals showed reduced outer nuclear layer thickness and deficits in retinal function. Furthermore, conditional inactivation of Ire1α in rod photoreceptors accelerated retinal degeneration caused by the RhoP23H mutation. Conclusions: These data suggest that IRE1α is dispensable for photoreceptor development but important for photoreceptor homeostasis in aging retinas and for protecting against ER stress-mediated photoreceptor degeneration.

Stress and human health in diabetes: A report from the 19th Chicago Biomedical Consortium symposium.

Stress and diabetes coexist in a vicious cycle. Different types of stress lead to diabetes, while diabetes itself is a major life stressor. This was the focus of the Chicago Biomedical Consortium's 19th annual symposium, "Stress and Human Health: Diabetes," in November 2022. There, researchers primarily from the Chicago area met to explore how different sources of stress - from the cells to the community - impact diabetes outcomes. Presenters discussed the consequences of stress arising from mutant proteins, obesity, sleep disturbances, environmental pollutants, COVID-19, and racial and socioeconomic disparities. This symposium showcased the latest diabetes research and highlighted promising new treatment approaches for mitigating stress in diabetes.

Integrated Physiology of the Exocrine and Endocrine Compartments in Pancreatic Diseases: Workshop Proceedings.

The Integrated Physiology of the Exocrine and Endocrine Compartments in Pancreatic Diseases workshop was a 1.5-day scientific conference at the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD) that engaged clinical and basic science investigators interested in diseases of the pancreas. This report provides a summary of the proceedings from the workshop. The goals of the workshop were to forge connections and identify gaps in knowledge that could guide future research directions. Presentations were segregated into six major theme areas, including 1) pancreas anatomy and physiology, 2) diabetes in the setting of exocrine disease, 3) metabolic influences on the exocrine pancreas, 4) genetic drivers of pancreatic diseases, 5) tools for integrated pancreatic analysis, and 6) implications of exocrine-endocrine cross talk. For each theme, multiple presentations were followed by panel discussions on specific topics relevant to each area of research; these are summarized here. Significantly, the discussions resulted in the identification of research gaps and opportunities for the field to address. In general, it was concluded that as a pancreas research community, we must more thoughtfully integrate our current knowledge of normal physiology as well as the disease mechanisms that underlie endocrine and exocrine disorders so that there is a better understanding of the interplay between these compartments.

SARS-CoV-2 diverges from other betacoronaviruses in only partially activating the IRE1α/XBP1 ER stress pathway in human lung-derived cells.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has killed over 6 million individuals worldwide and continues to spread in countries where vaccines are not yet widely available, or its citizens are hesitant to become vaccinated. Therefore, it is critical to unravel the molecular mechanisms that allow SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses to infect and overtake the host machinery of human cells. Coronavirus replication triggers endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR), a key host cell pathway widely believed essential for viral replication. We examined the master UPR sensor IRE1α kinase/RNase and its downstream transcription factor effector XBP1s, which is processed through an IRE1α-mediated mRNA splicing event, in human lung-derived cells infected with betacoronaviruses. We found human respiratory coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and murine coronavirus (MHV) all induce ER stress and strongly trigger the kinase and RNase activities of IRE1α as well as XBP1 splicing. In contrast, SARS-CoV-2 only partially activates IRE1α through autophosphorylation, but its RNase activity fails to splice XBP1. Moreover, while IRE1α was dispensable for replication in human cells for all coronaviruses tested, it was required for maximal expression of genes associated with several key cellular functions, including the interferon signaling pathway, during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 actively inhibits the RNase of autophosphorylated IRE1α, perhaps as a strategy to eliminate detection by the host immune system. IMPORTANCE: SARS-CoV-2 is the third lethal respiratory coronavirus after MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV to emerge this century, causing millions of deaths world-wide. Other common coronaviruses such as HCoV-OC43 cause less severe respiratory disease. Thus, it is imperative to understand the similarities and differences among these viruses in how each interacts with host cells. We focused here on the inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α) pathway, part of the host unfolded protein response to virus-induced stress. We found that while MERS-CoV and HCoV-OC43 fully activate the IRE1α kinase and RNase activities, SARS-CoV-2 only partially activates IRE1α, promoting its kinase activity but not RNase activity. Based on IRE1α-dependent gene expression changes during infection, we propose that SARS-CoV-2 prevents IRE1α RNase activation as a strategy to limit detection by the host immune system.

SARS-CoV-2 Diverges from Other Betacoronaviruses in Only Partially Activating the IRE1α/XBP1 Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Pathway in Human Lung-Derived Cells.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has killed over 6 million individuals worldwide and continues to spread in countries where vaccines are not yet widely available or its citizens are hesitant to become vaccinated. Therefore, it is critical to unravel the molecular mechanisms that allow SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses to infect and overtake the host machinery of human cells. Coronavirus replication triggers endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR), a key host cell pathway widely believed to be essential for viral replication. We examined the master UPR sensor IRE1α kinase/RNase and its downstream transcription factor effector XBP1s, which is processed through an IRE1α-mediated mRNA splicing event, in human lung-derived cells infected with betacoronaviruses. We found that human respiratory coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and murine coronavirus (MHV) all induce ER stress and strongly trigger the kinase and RNase activities of IRE1α as well as XBP1 splicing. In contrast, SARS-CoV-2 only partially activates IRE1α through autophosphorylation, but its RNase activity fails to splice XBP1. Moreover, while IRE1α was dispensable for replication in human cells for all coronaviruses tested, it was required for maximal expression of genes associated with several key cellular functions, including the interferon signaling pathway, during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 actively inhibits the RNase of autophosphorylated IRE1α, perhaps as a strategy to eliminate detection by the host immune system. IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2 is the third lethal respiratory coronavirus, after MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, to emerge this century, causing millions of deaths worldwide. Other common coronaviruses such as HCoV-OC43 cause less severe respiratory disease. Thus, it is imperative to understand the similarities and differences among these viruses in how each interacts with host cells. We focused here on the inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α) pathway, part of the host unfolded protein response to virus-induced stress. We found that while MERS-CoV and HCoV-OC43 fully activate the IRE1α kinase and RNase activities, SARS-CoV-2 only partially activates IRE1α, promoting its kinase activity but not RNase activity. Based on IRE1α-dependent gene expression changes during infection, we propose that SARS-CoV-2 prevents IRE1α RNase activation as a strategy to limit detection by the host immune system.