Previous studies of our and other groups have shown that IE1 blocks IFN signaling during HCMV infection by affecting both STAT proteins and PML, which has been identified as positive regulator of IFN-induced gene expression (Kim and Ahn, 2015; Scherer et al., 2016; Paulus et al., 2006). This evidence concerns the gene SOAT1 and cytomegalovirus infection.