Expression of the interferon-inducible chemokines MuMig and Crg-2 following vaccinia virus infection in vivo

MuMig (monokine induced by gamma interferon) and Crg-2 (cytokine responsive gene) are chemokines of the CXC subfamily. They share activity as T and NK cell chemoattractants. Crg-2 has been shown to be inducible by IFN, TNF, I L-1 and LPS, whereas the expression of MuMig is thought to be strictly depe ndent on IFN-gamma. In the present study the kinetics of expression of the genes for MuMig and Crg-2 were analysed by northern blot analysis in organs of normal mice and in groups of gene knockout mice deficient in IFN-gamma (IFN-gamma(-/-)) or receptors for IFN-alpha/beta and IFN-gamma (double R-/- ; DR-/-) after vaccinia virus infection. MuMig mRNA was not expressed in IF N-gamma(-/-) mice in all organs examined, whereas Crg-2 mRNA levels were ma rginally reduced. In contrast, MuMig and Crg-2 mRNA transcripts were comple tely abolished in the DR-/- mice.