IFN-β, but not IFN-α, is Responsible for the Pro-Bacterial Effect of Type I Interferon

Contraction of the type I IFN locus and unusual constitutive expression of IFN-α in bats.

Bats harbor many emerging and reemerging viruses, several of which are highly pathogenic in other mammals but cause no clinical signs of disease in bats. To determine the role of interferons (IFNs) in the ability of bats to coexist with viruses, we sequenced the type I IFN locus of the Australian black flying fox, Pteropus alecto, providing what is, to our knowledge, the first gene map of the I...

Cutting edge: pulmonary Legionella pneumophila is controlled by plasmacytoid dendritic cells but not type I IFN.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are well known as the major cell type that secretes type I IFN in response to viral infections. Their role in combating other classes of infectious organisms, including bacteria, and their mechanisms of action are poorly understood. We have found that pDCs play a significant role in the acute response to the intracellular bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumop...

Stimulating arteriogenesis but not atherosclerosis: IFN-α/β receptor subunit 1 as a novel therapeutic target.

In ischaemic diseases such as myocardial infarction (MI), restoration of sufficient blood supply to ischaemic areas through arteriogenesis is critical for preservation of tissue integrity and function. Although ischaemia activates natural mechanisms promoting arteriogenesis, these are often insufficient to alleviate the consequences of ischaemia in patients, prompting the need for novel therape...

IFN-α Is Constitutively Expressed in the Human Thymus, but Not in Peripheral Lymphoid Organs

Type I interferons have been typically studied for their effects in the context of bacterial or viral infections. However in this report, we provide evidence that Interferon-alpha (IFN-α) expressing cells are present in the thymus in the absence of infection. We show that pDC express the highest level of IFN-α and that MxA, which is exclusively expressed after engagement of the type I IFN recep...

IL - 29 , IL - 28 , and β , IFN - α Expression of IFN - Regulates TLR - Dependent Gene