title: IFN-α production by human mononuclear cells infected with varicella-zoster virus through TLR9-dependent and -independent pathways.
abstract: Understanding the defense mechanisms of the host of an organism is important for infection control. In previous studies, we demonstrated that interferon-α (IFN-α), but not IL-12, was produced by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells infected with varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Here, we investigated what kind of cell(s) and which signal molecule(s) are involved in IFN-α production. Using cell isolation and ELISA, we found that plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) were responsible for IFN-α production during VZV infection. We also found that Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) was involved in VZV-induced IFN-α production because inhibitory CpG oligodeoxynucleotide inhibited IFN-α production. UV-inactivated VZV-induced IFN-α production was lower than that of active VZV, indicating another TLR9-independent pathway. Further studies demonstrated that double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase, but not DNA-dependent protein kinase was involved in VZV-induced IFN-α production. Together, these results suggest that pDCs play an important role in IFN-α production during VZV infection through TLR9-dependent and -independent pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hong-Ren
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Hsin-Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ho-Chang
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Jiunn-Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sheen
authors.forename: Chia-Yo
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Te-Yao
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Kuender D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D000328:Adult; D051747:DNA-Activated Protein Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000276:immunology*; D019892:eIF-2 Kinase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D016328:NF-kappa B; C495371:TLR9 protein, human; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9; D051747:DNA-Activated Protein Kinase; D019892:eIF-2 Kinase; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases