IFITM3

Interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the IFITM3 gene.^[3][4][5] It plays a critical role in the immune system's defense against Swine Flu, where heightened levels of IFITM3 keep viral levels low, and the removal of IFITM3 allows the virus to multiply unchecked.^[6] This observation has been further advanced by a recent study that shows that a single nucleotide polymorphism in the human IFITM3 gene purported to increase influenza susceptibility is overrepresented in people hospitalised with pandemic H1N1.^[7] The prevalence of this mutation is thought to be approximately 1/400 in European populations.^[7][8]

Model organisms

Model organisms have been used in the study of IFITM3 function. A conditional knockout mouse line, called Ifitm3^{tm1Masu[13][14]} was generated as part of the International Knockout Mouse Consortium program — a high-throughput mutagenesis project to generate and distribute animal models of disease to interested scientists — at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.^[15][16][17]

Male and female animals underwent a standardized phenotypic screen to determine the effects of deletion.^[11][18] Twenty four tests were carried out on mutant mice, but no significant abnormalities were observed.^[11] However, challenge with influenza A virus indicated that these mice display increased viral susceptibility.^[7]

References

Further reading