Molecular characterization of cDNA encoding porcine IP-10 and induction of porcine endothelial IP-10 in response to human TNF-α

Donor-derived chemokines may play an important role in xenograft rejection, as well as allograft rejection. We have cloned the cDNA encoding porcine IP-10 (interferon-γ-inducible protein 10), and evaluated its induction in miniature porcine endothelial cells in response to various human cytokines. The cloned sequence is 764 nucleotides long, and the open reading frame consists of 312 nucleotides. The deduced protein sequence includes a predicted mature protein of approximately 83 residues. The comparison of porcine IP-10, and its human, mouse, rat, goat, and sheep counterparts exhibited high similarity among different mammalian species. The sequences of important regulatory elements such as the interferon-stimulated response element (ISRE), and two NF-κB binding elements are conserved in the proximal promoter region of porcine IP-10, like other mammalian IP-10s. Human TNF-α induced the expression of IP-10 mRNA in porcine endothelial cells, while both human IFN-γ and human IL-1β failed. Together, the data of this study suggest that porcine IP-10 may interact with human leukocytes across the species barrier.