Ifnb1, also known as interferon beta 1, encodes a type I interferon that plays a crucial role in the immune response. It is involved in various pathways, such as the cGAS/STING cytosolic DNA sensing pathway, which is activated upon cytosolic dsDNA accumulation. Type I interferons, including IFN-β, are essential for the body's defense against viral infections and also have roles in tumor suppression and immune regulation [1,3,4,5]. Genetic models, like gene knockout (KO) mouse models, are valuable for studying its functions.

In the context of tumor suppression, p53 promotes TREX1 degradation, leading to cytosolic dsDNA accumulation and activation of the cGAS/STING pathway, which in turn induces Ifnb1 expression. Knockout of cGAS/STING suppresses p53-mediated induction of Ifnb1, and p53's tumor suppressor activities are compromised, indicating Ifnb1's significance in this process [1]. In ossification of ligamentum flavum (OLF), Ifnb1 was identified as a key gene among five hub genes related to senile osteoporosis (SOP). Its expression was higher in cells cocultured with osteogenic induction, suggesting it may affect OLF via regulating the inflammatory response [2].

In summary, Ifnb1 is vital for the immune response, with roles in tumor suppression and potentially in the pathogenesis of OLF. The use of gene knockout models has provided insights into its role in these disease-related processes, highlighting its importance in understanding the underlying mechanisms and potentially developing new therapeutic strategies.

References:

1. Ghosh, Monisankar, Saha, Suchandrima, Li, Jinyu, Montrose, David C, Martinez, Luis A. 2023. p53 engages the cGAS/STING cytosolic DNA sensing pathway for tumor suppression. In Molecular cell, 83, 266-280.e6. doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2022.12.023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36638783/

2. Zhang, You, Huang, Hongwei, Chen, Honglin, Shen, Gengyang, Jiang, Xiaobing. 2023. Unearths IFNB1 immune infiltrates in SOP-related ossification of ligamentum flavum pathogenesis. In Heliyon, 9, e16722. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16722. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37303521/

3. Li, Changfeng, Zhang, Ying, Liu, Jiao, Klionsky, Daniel J, Tang, Daolin. 2020. Mitochondrial DNA stress triggers autophagy-dependent ferroptotic death. In Autophagy, 17, 948-960. doi:10.1080/15548627.2020.1739447. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32186434/

4. Gaidt, Moritz M, Morrow, Alyssa, Fairgrieve, Marian R, Yosef, Nir, Vance, Russell E. 2021. Self-guarding of MORC3 enables virulence factor-triggered immunity. In Nature, 600, 138-142. doi:10.1038/s41586-021-04054-5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34759314/

5. Schwanke, Hella, Stempel, Markus, Brinkmann, Melanie M. 2020. Of Keeping and Tipping the Balance: Host Regulation and Viral Modulation of IRF3-Dependent IFNB1 Expression. In Viruses, 12, . doi:10.3390/v12070733. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32645843/