The interferon-alpha gene family of Marmota himalayana, a Chinese marmot species with susceptibility to woodchuck hepatitis virus infection.
The interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) gene family is an important part of the immune system. Recombinant interferon-alpha is widely used to treat viral hepatitis and malignant diseases. Marmota himalayana has been found to be susceptible to woodchuck hepatitis virus, a virus genetically related to hepatitis B virus (HBV), and is suitable as an animal model for studies on HBV infection. Here, the IFN-alpha gene family of M. himalayana (cwIFN-alpha) was characterized. Sequence data indicate that the cwIFN-alpha family consists of at least 8 functional sequences and 6 pseudogenes with high homology within the family and to IFN-alpha of Marmota monax, a related species and well-established animal model. The recombinant cwIFN-alpha subtypes were expressed and tested to be active in viral protection assay and to induce expression of MxA in a species-specific manner. This work provides essential information for future work on testing new therapeutic approaches of HBV infection based on IFN-alpha in M. himalayana.
Lu
Yinping
Y
Division of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
Wang
Baoju
B
Huang
Hongping
H
Tian
Yongjun
Y
Bao
Junjie
J
Dong
Jihua
J
Roggendorf
Michael
M
Lu
Mengji
M
Yang
Dongliang
D
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D017919:Hepatitis B Virus, Woodchuck / Q000276:immunology*; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008392:Marmota / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D023421:Models, Animal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment
D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins