Expression of the interferon-inducible chemokines MuMig and Crg-2 following vaccinia virus infection in vivo

MuMig (monokine induced by gamma interferon) and Crg-2 (cytokine responsive gene) are chemokines of the CXC subfamily. They share activity as T and NK cell chemoattractants. Crg-2 has been shown to be inducible by IFN, TNF, IL-1 and LPS, whereas the expression of MuMig is thought to be strictly dependent on IFN-γ. In the present study, the kinetics of expression of the genes for MuMig and Crg-2 were analysed by northern blot analysis in organs of normal mice and in groups of gene knockout mice deficient in IFN-γ (IFN- γ-/-) or receptors for IFN-α/β and IFN-γ (double R(-/-); DR⁺) after vaccinia virus infection. MuMig mRNA was not expressed in IFN-γ(-/-) mice in all organs examined, whereas Crg-2 mRNA levels were marginally reduced. In contrast, MuMig and Crg-2 mRNA transcripts were completely abolished in the DR(-/-) mice.