title: Molecular and functional characterization of turkey interferon.
abstract: The turkey interferon (TkIFN) gene encodes a signal peptide and a mature protein of 30 and 162 amino acids, respectively. TkIFN mRNA expression was induced by reoviral double-stranded RNA in fibroblasts. The recombinant TkIFN protein possessed species-specific antiviral activity and in synergy with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced bone marrow macrophages to produce nitric oxide (NO). LPS or TkIFN alone did not induce bone marrow macrophages to produce significant amounts of NO, which showed that TkIFN provided one of the two signals necessary to induce NO production in turkey macrophages. Unlike the anti-inflammatory nature of mammalian alpha/beta IFNs, TkIFN augmented the LPS-induced expression of interleukin-8, a proinflammatory cytokine. This finding suggests a role for TkIFN in inflammatory conditions.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002645:Chickens; D017931:DNA Primers; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D007372:Interferons / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D007700:Kinetics; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012087:Reoviridae / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014422:Turkeys / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007372:Interferons