LGP2 expression is enhanced by interferon regulatory factor 3 in olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus

In innate immunity, LGP2 (laboratory of genetics and physiology 2) plays a very important role in the production of type I interferon (IFN) through recognition of cytosolic viral RNA. Although viral infection or stimulation with double-strand RNA dramatically induces expression of the LGP2 gene, the underlying transcriptional mechanism has never been studied. Here, we cloned and characterized the 5'-upstream region (-1,337 bp) of the LGP2 gene in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). Numerous canonical motifs for IFN-regulatory factors (IRFs) were found in this region, and reporter assays identified a poly I:C-responsive promoter region (-506 to -398) that regulated LGP2 transcription. Transcriptional activity of the LGP2 promoter was strongly enhanced by IRF3, which bound to IRF3 motif #3 (-480). The LGP2 promoter was also responsive to viral infection in vitro. These results suggest that LGP2 transcriptional control is crucially involved to regulated by IRF3 function after viral infection or stimulation with poly I:C.