title: MxA gene expression after live virus vaccination: a sensitive marker for endogenous type I interferon.
abstract: MxA gene expression is known to be regulated tightly and exclusively by type I interferons (IFNs). The kinetics of MxA gene expression was analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 11 healthy volunteers vaccinated with the 17-D strain of yellow fever virus. A reliable induction of MxA RNA and MxA protein was found in the absence of easily detectable serum IFN activity. Thus, steady-state MxA RNA levels were elevated 8- to 30-fold above prevaccination levels on day 5 after vaccination. The average increase of MxA protein was approximately 50-fold. In contrast, no induction of MxA RNA or MxA protein was detectable in 3 similarly vaccinated controls who were immune because of previous vaccinations. The IFN marker 2'-5'-oligoadenylate (2-5A) synthetase known to react to both type I and type II IFNs showed a similar response but did not differentiate equally well between nonimmune and immune vaccinees. beta 2-microglobulin and neopterin reacted poorly, remaining at low levels within the normal range. These results demonstrate that MxA gene expression is a good marker for detecting minute quantities of biologically active type I IFN during viral infections.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Virologie, Universität Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roers
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Hochkeppel
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Horisberger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hovanessian
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Haller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000097:blood*; D007700:Kinetics; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014611:Vaccination; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D015005:Yellow fever virus / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007370:Interferon Type I; C579071:MX1 protein, human; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D012313:RNA; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins