Neurological Correlates

Happy Groundhog Day! Six more weeks of winter!

The interferon-α gene family of Marmota himalayana, a Chinese marmot species with susceptibility to woodchuck hepatitis virus infection,
Lu, Y.^a , Wang, B.^a , Huang, H.^a , Tian, Y.^a , Bao, J.^a , Dong, J.^a , Roggendorf, M.^b , Lu, M.^{b c} , Yang, D.^a

^a Division of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Wuhan, China^b Institut für Virologie, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany^c Department of Microbiology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, Developmental and Comparative Immunology Volume 32, Issue 4, 2008, Pages 445-457 (full abstract after the jump)

Groundhogs (or at least their close cousins, the marmots or woodchucks) , are good genetic models for studying the human hepatitis B virus. Scientists in China have now characterized the marmot alpha-interferon gene, encoding an interferon type used in treatment of hepatitis B (the human recombinant version). This makes Groundhogs our hero not only for their meteorological clairvoyance, but also because they contribute to research on treating Hepatitis B, and help humanity.

Groundhogs (Marmot group), from The viviparous quadrupeds of North America. (created 1845-1848) via New York Public Library Digital Gallery

There are many more groundhog (marmot) naturalist illustrations at the NYPL digital gallery here.

Hail to groundhogs, woodchucks and marmots, this Ground Hog day 2008.

Dev Comp Immunol. 2008;32(4):445-57. Epub 2007 Oct 22

The interferon-alpha gene family of Marmota himalayana, a Chinese marmot species with susceptibility to woodchuck hepatitis virus infection.

Lu Y, Wang B, Huang H, Tian Y, Bao J, Dong J, Roggendorf M, Lu M, Yang D.

Division of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China.

The interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) gene family is an important part of the immune system. Recombinant interferon-alpha is widely used to treat viral hepatitis and malignant diseases. Marmota himalayana has been found to be susceptible to woodchuck hepatitis virus, a virus genetically related to hepatitis B virus (HBV), and is suitable as an animal model for studies on HBV infection. Here, the IFN-alpha gene family of M. himalayana (cwIFN-alpha) was characterized. Sequence data indicate that the cwIFN-alpha family consists of at least 8 functional sequences and 6 pseudogenes with high homology within the family and to IFN-alpha of Marmota monax, a related species and well-established animal model. The recombinant cwIFN-alpha subtypes were expressed and tested to be active in viral protection assay and to induce expression of MxA in a species-specific manner. This work provides essential information for future work on testing new therapeutic approaches of HBV infection based on IFN-alpha in M. himalayana.

PMID: 17936902 [PubMed - in process]