Mice devoid of interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) show normal expression of type I interferon genes.
The transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) binds tightly to the interferon (IFN)-beta promoter and has been implicated in the induction of type I IFNs. We generated mice devoid of functional IRF-1 by targeted gene disruption. As reported by others, IRF-1-deficient mice showed a discrete phenotype: the CD4/CD8 ratio was increased and IFN-gamma-induced levels of macrophage iNO synthase mRNA were strongly diminished. However, type I IFN induction in vivo by virus or double-stranded RNA was unimpaired, as evidenced by serum IFN titers and IFN mRNA levels in spleen, liver and lung. There was also no impairment in the response of type I IFN-inducible genes. Therefore, IRF-1 is not essential for these processes in vivo.
Institut für Molekularbiologie I, Universität Zürich, Switzerland.
L F
LF
Reis
H
H
Ruffner
G
G
Stark
M
M
Aguet
C
C
Weissmann
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1; D007370:Interferon Type I; C494258:Irf1 protein, mouse; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D014157:Transcription Factors