Disease relevance of Mx2

• A second rat cDNA is more closely related to the mouse Mx2 cDNA and directs the synthesis of a cytoplasmic protein that inhibits VSV but not influenza virus [1].
• While Mx2 is active against vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), Mx3 lacks antiviral activity [2].

High impact information on Mx2

• Rat Mx2 and rat Mx3 are two alpha/beta interferon-inducible cytoplasmic GTPases that differ in three residues in the amino-terminal third, which also contains the tripartite GTP-binding domain, and that differ in five residues in the carboxy-terminal quarter, which also contains a dimerization domain [2].
• Small monocyte-like liver macrophages, but not large macrophages, expressed Mx-2 constitutively [3].
• METHODS: We induced toxic liver injury by CCl(4), and studied the expression of IFN-alpha, IFN-gamma, and IFN-inducible antiviral genes (Mx-2; 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetase, 2-5 A; double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase, PKR) [3].
• In vitro, IFN-alpha but not IFN-gamma induced Mx-2 in different liver cell populations [3].
• RESULTS: Similar to 2-5 A and PKR, Mx-2 gene expression was biphasically induced after CCl(4) administration with a maximum at 24 h, and a second peak at 72 h [3].

References