The Molecular Choreography of IRF4 and IRF8 with Immune System Partners

  1. Bryan Vander Lugt1
  1. 1Department of Discovery Immunology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, California 94080
  1. Correspondence: Harinder.Singh{at}cchmc.org

Abstract

The transcription factors IRF4 and IRF8 represent immune-specific members of the interferon regulatory family. They play major roles in controlling the development and functioning of innate and adaptive cells. Genes encoding these factors appear to have been coopted by the immune system via gene duplication and divergence of regulatory and protein coding sequences to enable the acquisition of unique molecular properties and functions. Unlike other members of the IRF family, IRF4 and IRF8 do not activate transcription of Type 1 interferon genes or positively regulate interferon-induced gene expression. Instead, they bind to unusual composite Ets-IRF or AP-1-IRF elements with specific Ets or AP-1 family transcription factors, respectively, and regulate the expression of diverse sets of immune response genes in innate as well as adaptive cells.

Footnotes

  • 2 Current address: Division of Immunobiology and the Center for Systems Immunology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229.

  • 3 Current address: Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany

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