title: Spontaneous expression of interferon genes in murine peritoneal macrophages: modulation during the in vitro aging.
abstract: The expression of interferon (IFN)-beta gene and its modulation during in vitro "aging" was studied in unstimulated peritoneal macrophages (PM) explanted from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-responsive (Lps(h)) and LPS-hyporesponsive (Lps(d)) mice. A strong direct correlation between the LPS response of PM and their capacity to express low levels of IFN-beta was found. Moreover, the decay of antiviral state during in vitro cultivation was correlated with the turnover of IFN-beta mRNA. In the light of the multiple biologic effect of IFN, the constitutive expression of IFN-beta gene in PM can play a crucial role not only in the restriction of viral replication, but also in the modulation of cell differentiation and immune response.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Department of Virology, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Di Marzio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gessani
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Varano
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dieffenbach
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Belardelli