The Mx1 Gene Protects Mice against the Pandemic 1918 and Highly Lethal Human H5N1 Influenza Viruses

Authors:
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Mice carrying a wild-type Mx1 gene ( Mx1 +/+ ) differ from standard laboratory mice ( Mx1 −/− ) in being highly resistant to infection with common laboratory strains of influenza A virus. We report that Mx1 also protects mice against the pandemic human 1918 influenza virus and a highly lethal human H5N1 strain from Vietnam. Resistance to H5N1 of Mx1 +/+ but not Mx1 −/− mice was enhanced if the animals were treated with a single dose of exogenous alpha interferon before infection. Thus, the interferon-induced resistance factor Mx1 represents a key component of the murine innate immune system that mediates protection against epidemic and pandemic influenza viruses.

This publication has 19 references indexed in Scilit: