Gene-profile comparison of wt and Ifnb–/– cerebellar granular neurons

Interferon-b (IFN-b) belongs to the type I interferon family of cytokines and via binding to its receptor, interferon-a/b-receptor (IFNAR), it exerts immunoregulatory effects such as anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties, and clinical benefits for patients with the CNS disease multiple sclerosis. To compare differentially regulated genes in neurons of interferon-beta knock out mice (Ifnb–/–), we conducted a microarray analysis on cerebellar granular neurons (CGNs) from wt (Ifnb+/+) and Ifnb-/- mice with or without treatment with recombinant IFN-b. Cerebellar granular neurons from wt and Ifnb-–/– mice were cultured in triplicates with or without treatment with IFN-beta and processed for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarray. Thus, 4 types of samples were analysed in triplicates. Our aim was to analyse genes regulated by IFNb in neurons and because CGNs provide a high purity of neuronal cells, this type of neuron culture was choosen.