THE IN-VIVO EXPRESSION PATTERNS OF INDIVIDUAL TYPE-I INTERFERON GENESIN MURINE CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTIONS

Type I interferon (IFN) family has more than 10 structurally related s ubtypes of alpha IFN (IFNA) genes and a single beta IFN (IFNB) gene. T his study examined the expression of MuIFNA1, A4, A5, A6, A9 and MuIFN B mRNAs in the livers and spleens of MCMV-infected mice at 2, 4 and 6 h post infection. The three strains of inbred mice studied were C57BL/ 6, B6.C-H-28(c) and BALB/c. B6.C-H-28(c) strain is a congenic strain o f C57BL/6 genomic background. Detection of the specific mRNAs was by a n established semiquantitative procedure based on reverse transcriptio n and PCR amplification followed by differential hybridization to spec ific oligonucleotides. Similar expression patterns of the type I IFN m RNAs were found in C57BL/6 and B6.C-H-28(c) strains of mice. However, when the genotype was significantly different (BALB/c), a different ex pression pattern of IFN mRNAs was seen. Differences in the expression patterns of the type I IFN mRNAs was also seen between the livers and spleens of a given mouse strain. Thus, the present study indicates tha t mouse genotype appears to be a major determinant of the subtype resp onse pattern seen in vivo and that tissue-type can influence the subty pe response pattern seen within a given mouse genotype. (C) 1997 Elsev ier Science B.V.