Journal article
Interferon-ε protects the female reproductive tract from viral and bacterial infection.
KY Fung, NE Mangan, H Cumming, JC Horvat, JR Mayall, SA Stifter, N De Weerd, LC Roisman, J Rossjohn, SA Robertson, JE Schjenken, B Parker, CE Gargett, HPT Nguyen, DJ Carr, PM Hansbro, PJ Hertzog
Science (New York, N.Y.) | AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE | Published : 2013
Abstract
The innate immune system senses pathogens through pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) that signal to induce effector cytokines, such as type I interferons (IFNs). We characterized IFN-ε as a type I IFN because it signaled via the Ifnar1 and Ifnar2 receptors to induce IFN-regulated genes. In contrast to other type I IFNs, IFN-ε was not induced by known PRR pathways; instead, IFN-ε was constitutively expressed by epithelial cells of the female reproductive tract (FRT) and was hormonally regulated. Ifn-ε-deficient mice had increased susceptibility to infection of the FRT by the common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) herpes simplex virus 2 and Chlamydia muridarum. Thus, IFN-ε is a potent..
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Awarded by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Funding Acknowledgements
We thank A. Mansell, R. Ferrero, and L. Salamonsen for their contributions; N. Bourke and S. Forster for helpful discussions and reading of the manuscript; K. Fitzgerald for reagents; and C. Berry for assistance with viral plaque assays. The data presented in this paper are tabulated in the main text and in the supplementary materials. This work was supported by funding from Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (P.J.H., N. E. M., P. M. H., J.R., C. E. G., and B. P.), the Australian Research Council (P.J.H., N. E. M., J.R.), the NIH via grant R01 AI053108 (D.J.C.), and the Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Support Program. P.J.H., N. E. M., K.Y.F., H. C., S. A. S., and N. D. W. hold International Patent Application number PCT/AU2011/000715, "Use of interferon epsilon in methods of diagnosis and treatment."