UMMS Affiliation
Program in Molecular Medicine
Publication Date
2008-01-01
Document Type
Article
Disciplines
Biochemistry | Cell Biology | Cellular and Molecular Physiology | Immunity | Immunology of Infectious Disease | Molecular Biology
Abstract
Gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) plays a critical role in the early eradication of Anaplasma phagocytophilum. However, the mechanisms that regulate IFN-gamma production upon infection remain poorly understood. Here we show that c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 2 (JNK2) inhibits IFN-gamma production during A. phagocytophilum infection. jnk2-null mice were more refractory to infection with A. phagocytophilum and produced increased levels of IFN-gamma after challenge with the pathogen. The resistance of jnk2-null mice to A. phagocytophilum infection was due to elevated levels of IFN-gamma secreted by conventional and natural killer (NK) T cells. The administration of alpha-galactosylceramide, a strong NK T-cell agonist, increased IFN-gamma release and protected mice from A. phagocytophilum, further demonstrating the inhibitory effect of JNK2 on IFN-gamma production. Collectively, these findings provide strong evidence that JNK2 is an important regulatory protein for IFN-gamma secretion upon challenge with A. phagocytophilum.
Keywords
Gamma interferon, Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection, c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 2 (JNK2)
Rights and Permissions
Publisher PDF posted as allowed by the publisher's author rights policy at http://journals.asm.org/site/misc/ASM_Author_Statement.xhtml.
DOI of Published Version
10.1128/IAI.00599-07
Source
Infect Immun. 2008 Jan;76(1):308-16. Epub 2007 Nov 12. Link to article on publisher's site
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Infection and immunity
Related Resources
PubMed ID
17998313
Repository Citation
Pedra JH, Mattner J, Tao J, Kerfoot SM, Davis RJ, Flavell RA, Askenase PW, Yin Z, Fikrig E. (2008). c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 2 inhibits gamma interferon production during Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection. Davis Lab Publications. https://doi.org/10.1128/IAI.00599-07. Retrieved from https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/davis/61
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