The expression of human interferon alpha genes

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Abstract
We have determined the levels of mRNAs for IFN-β, IFN-γ and various α-IFNs (IFN-α1, -α2, -α4, -α5, -α6, -α7, -α8 and -α14) in normal and leukaemic human blood leucocytes and several cell lines induced in different fashions. The ratio of α to β IFN transcripts varied greatly, depending on the cell type. The levels of the individual IFN-α RNAs were very different: IFN-α1, -α2 and -α4 RNAs constituted the major fraction of the IFN-α transcripts measured, while IFN-α6, -α7, -α8 and -α14 were minor components in normal, induced leucocytes. M oreover, there was a striking difference in the proportion of individual IFN-α mRNA species in different cell types, in particular between normal and leukaemic cells; for example all cases of myeloblastic leukaemia examined showed a high expression of IFN-α14. Use of different induction protocols did not significantly affect the proportion of IFN mRNAs. Analysis of the human IFN -α1 gene by reversed genetics led to the identification of a segment of 5' flanking sequence between positions 117 and 68 upstream of the cap site which is required for inducibility by virus.