Rapid induction of type I interferon expression, a central event in establishing the innate antiviral response, requires cooperative activation of numerous transcription factors. Although signaling pathways that activate the transcription factors nuclear factor kappaB and ATF-2/c-Jun have been well characterized, activation of the interferon regulatory factors IRF-3 and IRF-7 has remained a critical missing link in understanding interferon signaling. We report here that the IkappaB kinase (IKK)-related kinases IKKepsilon and TANK-binding kinase 1 are components of the virus-activated kinase that phosphorylate IRF-3 and IRF-7. These studies illustrate an essential role for an IKK-related kinase pathway in triggering the host antiviral response to viral infection.

Ubiquitously expressed interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3) is directly activated after virus infection and functions as a key activator of the immediate-early alpha/beta interferon (IFN) genes, as well as the RANTES chemokine gene. In the present study, a tetracycline-inducible expression system expressing a constitutively active form of IRF-3 (IRF-3 5D) was combined with DNA microarray analysis to identify target genes regulated by IRF-3. Changes in mRNA expression profiles of 8,556 genes were monitored after Tet-inducible expression of IRF-3 5D. Among the genes upregulated by IRF-3 were transcripts for several known IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Subsequent analysis revealed that IRF-3 directly induced the expression of ISG56 in an IFN-independent manner through the IFN-stimulated responsive elements (ISREs) of the ISG56 promoter. These results demonstrate that, in addition to its role in the formation of a functional immediate-early IFN-␤ enhanceosome, IRF-3 is able to discriminate among ISRE-containing genes involved in the establishment of the antiviral state as a direct response to virus infection.

The ubiquitously expressed latent interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 3 transcription factor is activated in response to virus infection by phosphorylation events that target a cluster of Ser/Thr residues, 382 GGASSLEN-TVDLHISNSHPLSLTSDQY 408