title: Interferon regulatory factors: growth control and histone gene regulation--it's not just interferon anymore.
abstract: Interferon-regulatory factors (IRFs) are a related family of proteins originally identified by their ability to bind a DNA sequence found in the beta-interferon gene and many interferon-stimulated genes. Two well-studied members of this family, IRF-1 and IRF-2, have antagonistic roles in interferon-beta gene regulation: IRF-1 activates this gene, and IRF-2 represses the activation by IRF-1, IRF-1 and IRF-2 have more recently been linked to growth control by displaying tumor suppressor and oncogenic activities, respectively. A possible explanation for the oncogenic activity of IRF-2 is the discovery that IRF-2 can activate a histone gene that is functionally coupled to cell cycle progression. This first report of native IRF-2 playing the role of activator of a gene essential for growth may lead to the discovery of a more general involvement of interferon regulatory factors in mediating growth control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester 01655, USA.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van Wijnen
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1; D050836:Interferon Regulatory Factor-2; D007372:Interferons / Q000378:metabolism; D009857:Oncogenes; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006657:Histones; C494257:IRF1 protein, human; C494229:IRF2 protein, human; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1; D050836:Interferon Regulatory Factor-2; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D007372:Interferons