Immunohistochemical expression analysis of the human interferon-inducible gene IFI16, a member of the HIN200 family, not restricted to hematopoietic cells

This is the first description of an extensive immunohistochemical analysis of interferon (IFN)-inducible gene IFI16 expression in normal tissues. Immunohistochemical detection of IFI16 in paraffin-embedded tissues is achieved by using a polyclonal antibody raised against its C-terminal fragment that recognizes its three closely migrating isoforms in Western blotting. The results clearly indicate that IFI16 expression is not restricted to the hematopoietic compartment. In normal adult human tissues, it is prominent in stratified squamous epithelia and particularly intense in parabasal cells in the proliferating compartments, but it gradually decreases in the more differentiated suprabasal layers. Understanding of IFI16 expression in vivo is essential for interpretation of the results obtained from in vitro studies and elucidation of its physiologic role. The constitutive expression and wider distribution of IFI16 in normal human tissues, not restricted to the hematopoietic compartment, strongly support the possibility of an important role in cell differentiation that can be further modulated by other stimuli, such as IFN.