Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
2003-12-25
pubmed:abstractText
Interferon (IFN)-alpha/beta is produced by virally infected cells and is believed to play an important role in early phases of the innate immune response. In addition, IFN-alpha/beta inhibits interleukin (IL)-4 signaling in B cells and monocytes, suggesting that IFN-alpha/beta (like IFN-gamma) is a Th1 cytokine. Here, we study cross-talk between IFN-alpha and IL-4 in human T cells. As expected, stimulation with IFN-alpha for 12-24 h inhibits IL-4 signaling. Surprisingly, however, IFN-alpha has the opposite effect on IL-4 signaling at earlier time points (up to 6 h). Thus, IFN-alpha enhances IL-4-mediated STAT6 activation in both CD4+ and CD8+ human T cells. The effect is specific because (i) another interferon, IFN-gamma, does not enhance IL-4-mediated STAT6 activation, (ii) IFN-alpha-mediated STAT1 and STAT2 activation is not modulated by IL-4, and (iii) activation of Janus kinases is not enhanced or prolonged by simultaneous stimulation with IFN-alpha and IL-4. Moreover, co-stimulation results in a selective increased STAT6/STAT2 association and an association between IFNAR/IL-4R components, suggesting that the IFNAR provides an additional STAT6 docking site via STAT2, leading to a more efficient dimerization/activation of STAT6 only. The co-stimulatory effect on STAT6 activation correlates with a cooperative increase in nuclear translocation, DNA binding, transcriptional activity, and mRNA expression of STAT6 target genes (IL-4Ralpha and IL-15Ralpha). In conclusion, we provide evidence that IFN-alpha both up- and down-regulates IL-4-mediated STAT6 signaling and thereby regulates the sensitivity to IL-4 in human T lymphocytes. Thus, our findings suggest that IFN-alpha has a complex regulatory role in adaptive immunity, which is different from the "classical" Th1 profile of IFN-gamma.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/DNA-Binding Proteins, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Interferon Type I, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Interleukin-4, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Recombinant Proteins, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/STAT1 Transcription Factor, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/STAT1 protein, human, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/STAT2 Transcription Factor, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/STAT2 protein, human, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/STAT6 Transcription Factor, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/STAT6 protein, human, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Trans-Activators
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jan
pubmed:issn
0021-9258
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
2
pubmed:volume
279
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
169-76
pubmed:dateRevised
2011-11-17
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2004
pubmed:articleTitle
Bi-phasic effect of interferon (IFN)-alpha: IFN-alpha up- and down-regulates interleukin-4 signaling in human T cells.
pubmed:affiliation
Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't