Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
10:00
High-throughput Quantitative Real-time RT-PCR Assay for Determining Expression Profiles of Types I and III Interferon Subtypes
Published on: March 24, 2015
Expression profiles of human interferon-alpha and interferon-lambda subtypes are ligand- and cell-dependent.
Philippa Hillyer1, Viraj P Mane, Lynnsie M Schramm
1Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, MD 20892-4555, USA.
Immunology and Cell Biology
|January 18, 2012
Summary
This study details interferon (IFN) subtype expression in immune cells. Researchers developed a novel assay to reveal cell- and ligand-specific patterns of IFN-α and IFN-λ subtypes.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Genome-wide association studies highlight distinct roles for human interferon-alpha (IFN-α) and IFN-λ subtypes.
- Understanding these roles requires defining the expression patterns of these highly homologous gene sets.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for distinguishing and measuring expression of individual IFN-α and IFN-λ subtypes.
- To characterize the expression profiles of IFN subtypes in various human immune cells in response to different stimuli.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative real-time PCR assay utilizing molecular beacon and locked nucleic acid (LNA) probes.
- Measurement of IFN subtype expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, monocytes, myeloid dendritic cells (mDC), plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC), monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM), and monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDC).
- Stimulation with poly I:C, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), imiquimod, and CpG oligonucleotides.
Main Results:
- Monocytes, MDM, and MDDC primarily express IFN-β and IFN-λ1 in response to poly I:C and LPS.
- CpG oligonucleotides induced all type I IFN subtypes in pDC, whereas imiquimod did not.
- MDM and mDC showed high expression of IFN-λ subtypes, with a hierarchical order of IFN-λ1 > IFN-λ2 > IFN-λ3.
Conclusions:
- Data support a model of coordinated, cell- and ligand-specific expression of type I and III interferons.
- Defining IFN subtype expression profiles can elucidate their specific roles as protective, therapeutic, or pathogenic mediators.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
Protein synthesis is indispensable for viral replication, as viruses lack the cellular machinery required for this process and must hijack the host's translational apparatus. In response, host cells deploy a critical innate immune defense involving interferons, specialized cytokines that play a central role in inhibiting viral propagation.Upon viral detection, infected cells release interferons that bind to receptors on adjacent uninfected cells, activating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and...
01:22T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection
T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
01:24T Cell Types and Functions
When T cells with CD4 markers are activated, they give rise to two types of effector cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Meanwhile, T cells with CD8 markers differentiate into effector cytotoxic T cells. The differentiation of CD4 T cells into helper T cell subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, is dependent on the antigen type, antigen-presenting cell, and regulatory cytokines.
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
01:30General Transcription Factors
Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...