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High-throughput Quantitative Real-time RT-PCR Assay for Determining Expression Profiles of Types I and III Interferon Subtypes
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Complex modulation of cell type-specific signaling in response to type I interferons

Anette H H van Boxel-Dezaire1, M R Sandhya Rani, George R Stark

  • 1Department of Molecular Genetics, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.

Immunity
|September 19, 2006
PubMed

The type I interferons (IFNs) are pleiotropic cytokines that regulate many different cellular functions. The major signaling pathway activated by type I IFNs involves sequential phosphorylation of the tyrosine residues of the Janus kinase (JAK) and signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) proteins, providing the primary mechanism through which gene expression is induced. Recent work has shown that the responses are quite complex, as shown by different responses to specific subtypes of type I IFN, activation of kinases in addition to JAKs, patterns of activation of all seven STATs in different cells, and activation of transcription factors other than STATs. The type I IFNs use this complexity to regulate many different biological functions in different types of cells, by activating different specific signals and patterns of gene expression.

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