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Regulation of the interferon system and cell growth by the IRF transcription factors

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Abstract

Induction of gene transcription in response to extracellular stimuli constitutes an essential aspect of host defense mechanisms. Interferons (IFN) are families of cytokines that have been discovered and extensively characterized in the context of host defense against viral infections. In elucidating the mechanism of transcriptional induction of the IFN genes by viruses, we have discovered two structurally related transcription factors, Interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) and IRF-2. These two factors, however, function not only as regulators of the IFN system, but are also key transcription factors in the regulation of cell growth and apoptosis. Thus, these studies uncover a complex gene transcription network in which the fate of cellular responses is determined by how the IRF transcription factors function in conjunction with other factors on the promoters of distinct genes under different conditions of the cells.

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Abbreviations

IFN :

interferon

IRF :

Interferon regulatory factor

ISGF :

interferon-stimulated gene factor

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, 113, Tokyo, Japan

    Tadatsugu Taniguchi, Hisashi Harada & Marc Lamphier

  2. Precursory Research for embryonic Science and Technology, Research Development Corporation of Japan, 1-7 Hikari-dai, Seika-cho, 619-02, Kyoto, Japan

    Marc Lamphier

Authors
  1. Tadatsugu Taniguchi
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  2. Hisashi Harada
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  3. Marc Lamphier
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Additional information

Work dedicated to Dr. Haruo Sugano on the occasion of the 70th birthday. The material of this paper was essentially presented at the 60th Anniversary Symposium of the Cancer Institute and the Cancer Institute Hospital, Tokyo, held in September 1994

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Taniguchi, T., Harada, H. & Lamphier, M. Regulation of the interferon system and cell growth by the IRF transcription factors. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 121, 516–520 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01197763

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01197763

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