SMOC1 and infection: In the present study, the expression level of the TLR3-IRF7-IFN-α/β and the downstream antiviral factors PKR, OAS and Mx in ILP cells were significantly upregulated at 8 hpi and 12 hpi as compared to the uninfected control, suggesting that IBDV activates the TLR3 antiviral signal pathway in the gut at the early stage of infection.