First Author | Li Y | Year | 2012 |
Journal | Mol Cell Biol | Volume | 32 |
Issue | 6 | Pages | 1164-72 |
PubMed ID | 22252322 | Mgi Jnum | J:183705 |
Mgi Id | MGI:5319122 | Doi | 10.1128/MCB.06328-11 |
Citation | Li Y, et al. (2012) Dcp2 decapping protein modulates mRNA stability of the critical interferon regulatory factor (IRF) IRF-7. Mol Cell Biol 32(6):1164-72 |
abstractText | The mammalian Dcp2 mRNA-decapping protein functions primarily on a subset of mRNAs in a transcript-specific manner. Here we show that Dcp2 is an important modulator of genes involved in the type I interferon (IFN) response, which is the initial line of antiviral innate immune response elicited by a viral challenge. Mouse embryonic fibroblast cells with reduced Dcp2 levels (Dcp2(beta/beta)) contained significantly elevated levels of mRNAs encoding proteins involved in the type I IFN response. In particular, analysis of a key type I IFN transcription factor, IFN regulatory factor 7 (IRF-7), revealed an increase in both IRF-7 mRNA and protein in Dcp2(beta/beta) cells. Importantly, the increase in IRF-7 mRNA within the background of reduced Dcp2 levels was attributed to a stabilization of the IRF-7 mRNA, suggesting that Dcp2 normally modulates IRF-7 mRNA stability. Moreover, Dcp2 expression was also induced upon viral infection, consistent with a role in attenuating the antiviral response by promoting IRF-7 mRNA degradation. The induction of Dcp2 levels following a viral challenge and the specificity of Dcp2 in targeting the decay of IRF-7 mRNA suggest that Dcp2 may negatively contribute to the innate immune response in a negative feedback mechanism to restore normal homeostasis following viral infection. |