IRF2 Antibody

Interferon regulatory factor 2 is a member of the interferon regulatory transcription factor (IRF) family. The IRF2 gene is mapped on 4q35.1. When the gene was overexpressed in NIH 3T3 cells, the cells became transformed and displayed enhanced tumorigenicity in nude mice. One IRF binding site was found within the IRF2 promoter, and expression of the gene was affected by both transient and stable IRF1 expression. IRF2 competitively inhibits the IRF1-mediated transcriptional activation of interferons alpha and beta, and presumably other genes that employ IRF1 for transcription activation. However, IRF2 also functions as a transcriptional activator of histone H4. IRF2 was required to prevent NK-cell apoptosis and keep immature NK cells alive, thus promoting NK-cell maturation and their supply to peripheral blood.