Induction of endogenous IFN-alpha and IFN-beta genes by a regulatory transcription factor, IRF-1.
Interferons (IFNs) have an important role in cell growth and differentiation. The most well-known function of IFNs is their antiviral activity; viral infections result in induction of the transcription of the IFN-alpha and IFN-beta genes. Recently we isolated the gene encoding a transcription factor, IRF-1, that may play a part in the induction of IFN genes. Interestingly, the IRF-1 gene itself is virus-inducible, suggesting the importance of de novo production of IRF-1 in IFN gene induction. Here we show that high-level expression of the cloned mouse IRF-1 gene in monkey COS cells results in the induction of endogenous IFN-alpha and IFN-beta genes without viral stimulation. Furthermore, we demonstrate the induction of these genes by an IRF-1/yeast GAL4 chimaeric transcription factor. This may be the first demonstration of the specific induction of silent chromosomal genes by transfection of a single transcription factor gene in mammalian cells.
Fujita
T
T
Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology, Osaka University, Japan.
Kimura
Y
Y
Miyamoto
M
M
Barsoumian
E L
EL
Taniguchi
T
T
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005796:Genes; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D009522:Newcastle disease virus / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014162:Transfection
D007370:Interferon Type I; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors