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

2007; American Society for Microbiology; Volume: 81; Issue: 19 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1128/jvi.01116-07

1098-5514

Terrence M. Tumpey, Kristy J. Szretter, Neal Van Hoeven, Jacqueline M. Katz, Georg Kochs, Otto Haller, Adolfo García‐Sastre, Peter Staeheli,

Immune Response and Inflammation

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.