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Interferon lambda-1 (IFN-λ1/IL-29) induces ELR− CXC chemokine mRNA in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, in an IFN-γ-independent manner

Genes & Immunity volume 8, pages 177–180 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Interferon lambda-1 (IFN-λ1), the prototype Type-III interferon, has antiviral functions similar to those of the Type-I interferons, IFN-α and IFN-β. However, IFN-λ1 is capable of signaling through almost all STAT molecules and so it is possible that it may have novel immunoregulatory functions in addition to antiviral ones. From a range of chemokines tested, IFN-λ1 elevated mRNA levels of only ‘Monokine induced by IFN-gamma’ (MIG/CXCL9), ‘IFN-gamma inducible protein-10’ (IP-10/CXCL10) and ‘IFN-gamma inducible T-cell α chemoattractant’ (I-TAC/CXCL11) from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. As their names suggest, these chemokines are also induced by IFN-γ, the only member of the Type-II interferon family. This action of IFN-λ1 did not depend on intermediate induction of IFN-γ and is therefore, likely to be independent of IFN-γ. Further, our results suggest that donors responded to IFN-λ1 stimulation either ‘early’ or ‘late’. Overall the action of IFN-λ1 was similar to that previously reported for IFN-γ and may invite more detailed investigation of the role of IFN-λ1 at the innate/adaptive interface.

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  1. V Pekarek and S Srinivas: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. HUMIGEN, The Institute for Genetic Immunology, Hamilton, NJ, USA

    V Pekarek, S Srinivas, J Eskdale & G Gallagher

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  1. V Pekarek
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  2. S Srinivas
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  3. J Eskdale
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  4. G Gallagher
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Correspondence to G Gallagher.

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Pekarek, V., Srinivas, S., Eskdale, J. et al. Interferon lambda-1 (IFN-λ1/IL-29) induces ELR− CXC chemokine mRNA in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, in an IFN-γ-independent manner. Genes Immun 8, 177–180 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gene.6364372

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