Expression of interferon-stimulated gene 20 in vascular endothelial cells

ISG20 is an ribonuclease specific for single-stranded RNA and considered to play a role in innate immunity against virus infections. We herein show that both poly IC, an authentic double-stranded RNA, and IFN-gamma induced ISG20 expression in cultured HUVEC. Poly IC-induced ISG20 expression was inhibited by LY294002, an inhibitor of PI3K, or by RNA interference against IFN regulatory factor three. ISG20 expression was not induced by IFN-beta, loxoribine or CpG oligonucleotide. These results suggest that ISG20 induction by poly IC may not be dependent on the IRF-3-mediated type I IFN induction pathway in HUVEC. ISG20 may be involved in innate immunity against viral infection in vascular endothelial cells.