Structural linkage between ligand discrimination and receptor activation by Type i interferons

  • Christoph Thomas
  • , Ignacio Moraga
  • , Doron Levin
  • , Peter O. Krutzik
  • , Yulia Podoplelova
  • , Angelica Trejo
  • , Choongho Lee
  • , Ganit Yarden
  • , Susan E. Vleck
  • , Jeffrey S. Glenn
  • , Garry P. Nolan
  • , Jacob Piehler
  • , Gideon Schreiber
  • , K. Christopher Garcia

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

311 Scopus citations

Abstract

Type I Interferons (IFNs) are important cytokines for innate immunity against viruses and cancer. Sixteen human type I IFN variants signal through the same cell-surface receptors, IFNAR1 and IFNAR2, yet they can evoke markedly different physiological effects. The crystal structures of two human type I IFN ternary signaling complexes containing IFNα2 and IFNω reveal recognition modes and heterotrimeric architectures that are unique among the cytokine receptor superfamily but conserved between different type I IFNs. Receptor-ligand cross-reactivity is enabled by conserved receptor-ligand "anchor points" interspersed among ligand-specific interactions that "tune" the relative IFN-binding affinities, in an apparent extracellular "ligand proofreading" mechanism that modulates biological activity. Functional differences between IFNs are linked to their respective receptor recognition chemistries, in concert with a ligand-induced conformational change in IFNAR1, that collectively control signal initiation and complex stability, ultimately regulating differential STAT phosphorylation profiles, receptor internalization rates, and downstream gene expression patterns. PaperFlick:

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)621-632
Number of pages12
JournalCell
Volume146
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 19 Aug 2011

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Structural linkage between ligand discrimination and receptor activation by Type i interferons'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this