Recent progress in the elucidation of interferon-gamma actions: molecular biology and biological functions.
It has been known for a long time that the two major classes of interferons, IFN-alpha/beta and IFN-gamma, are similar in many of their actions despite the fact that they are structurally unrelated and bind to separate receptors. Recent studies revealed overlapping, common components in IFN-alpha/beta and IFN-gamma signaling. The second chain of the IFN-gamma receptor was recently identified. The generation of mice with targeted disruptions of the genes for IFN-gamma or the IFN-gamma receptor is helping to understand the essential functions of IFN-gamma in host defenses. Other studies have shown that the transcription factor IRF-1 is essential for the IFN-gamma-mediated activation of the gene for the inducible nitric oxide synthase.
Department of Microbiology, New York University Medical Center, NY 10016.
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Vilcek
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Oliveira
D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008967:Molecular Biology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D017471:Receptors, Interferon / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000096743:Interferon gamma Receptor
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D017471:Receptors, Interferon; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000096743:Interferon gamma Receptor; C494258:Irf1 protein, mouse