title: Inhibition of virus replication and induction of human tetherin gene expression by equine IFN-α1.
abstract: Type I interferons (IFNs) play important roles in the defense of host cells against viral infection by inducing the expression of a diverse range of antiviral factors. IFNs from different animals likely share similar features with human IFNs, and some of them have cross-species activities. Equine IFN-α was proved effective in both equine and human cells. However, the previous studies mostly focused on the inhibition of virus induced cytopathic effects. In this study, we used virus-specific assays to demonstrate the antiviral activities of equine IFN-α1 in both equine and human cells. Equine IFN-α1 inhibited the expression of viral structural proteins and the production of virions of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) and equine arteritis virus (EAV) in equine cells. In addition, equine IFN-α1 inhibited the production of EIAV virus-like particles (VLP) from human 293T cells. An IFN-inducible human gene, tetherin, was induced in 293T cells by equine IFN-α1. Its induction correlated with the inhibition of VLP release from the cell membrane. This result indicates that equine IFN-α1 shares a similar mechanism of action with human IFN-α in regulating antiviral genes expression in human cells.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Xingliang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jinying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006736:Horses / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*; D000074010:Bone Marrow Stromal Antigen 2
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D016898:Interferon-alpha; C094572:BST2 protein, human; D000074010:Bone Marrow Stromal Antigen 2
keywords: Antiviral activities; Equine IFN-α; Equine arteritis virus; Equine infectious anemia virus; Tetherin