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Updated: Aug 14, 2025
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High-throughput Quantitative Real-time RT-PCR Assay for Determining Expression Profiles of Types I and III Interferon Subtypes
Published on: March 24, 2015
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Transiently heritable fates and quorum sensing drive early IFN-I response dynamics
Laura C Van Eyndhoven1,2, Vincent P G Verberne1,2, Carlijn V C Bouten2,3
1Laboratory of Immunoengineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands.
Elife
|January 11, 2023
Summary
Cellular decisions to produce Type I interferon (IFN-I) are not random. Host factors like epigenetics and cell density influence IFN-I responses, challenging previous assumptions about stochastic regulation.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Systems Biology
Background:
- Type I interferons (IFN-I) are critical for antiviral defense.
- IFN-I production is initiated by a small fraction of cells, previously thought to be stochastic.
- Understanding the regulation of early IFN-I responses is key to host defense.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate deterministic and stochastic host factors influencing early IFN-I responses.
- To challenge the dogma of stochastic regulation in IFN-I production.
- To explore the role of epigenetics, heritability, and cell density in IFN-I responsiveness.
Main Methods:
- Murine fibroblast reporter model.
- Epigenetic drug treatments.
- Luria-Delbrück fluctuation test.
- Mathematical modeling.
- Cell density experiments.
Main Results:
- Epigenetic drugs altered the percentage of IFN-I-producing cells.
- Evidence for transient heritability in responder cell fates was found.
- Cell density significantly influences IFN-I responsiveness, akin to quorum sensing.
Conclusions:
- Early IFN-I responses are influenced by deterministic host factors, not solely stochastic processes.
- Transient heritability and cell density play crucial roles in dictating IFN-I production.
- This systems immunology approach provides new insights into cellular decision-making for immune signaling.
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