Interferon lambda-1 (IFN-λ1/IL-29) induces ELR- CXC chemokine mRNA in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, in an IFN-γ-independent manner

Abstract

Interferon lambda-1 (IFN-λ1), the prototype Type-III interferon, has antiviral functions similar to those of the Type-I interferons, IFN-α and IFN-β. However, IFN-λ1 is capable of signaling through almost all STAT molecules and so it is possible that it may have novel immunoregulatory functions in addition to antiviral ones. From a range of chemokines tested, IFN-λ1 elevated mRNA levels of only 'Monokine induced by IFN-gamma' (MIG/CXCL9), 'IFN-gamma inducible protein-10' (IP-10/CXCL10) and 'IFN-gamma inducible T-cell α chemoattractant' (I-TAC/CXCL11) from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. As their names suggest, these chemokines are also induced by IFN-γ, the only member of the Type-II interferon family. This action of IFN-λ1 did not depend on intermediate induction of IFN-γ and is therefore, likely to be independent of IFN-γ. Further, our results suggest that donors responded to IFN-λ1 stimulation either 'early' or 'late'. Overall the action of IFN-λ1 was similar to that previously reported for IFN-γ and may invite more detailed investigation of the role of IFN-λ1 at the innate/adaptive interface.