Isg20-flox Mouse

Isg20, also known as HEM45 (HeLa estrogen-modulated, band 45), is an interferon-stimulated gene encoding a 20-kDa protein. It belongs to the DEDD exonucleases family and has RNase properties, playing a role in mediating interferon's antiviral activities. It can cleave single-stranded RNA and DNA, and its expression can be induced by type I and II interferons [3].

In terms of functional studies, Isg20 has been shown to inhibit the replication of various viruses. For example, overexpression of ovine Isg20 (oIsg20) suppressed bluetongue virus (BTV) replication, while knockdown increased it. oIsg20 interacted with BTV protein VP4, and exonuclease-defective oIsg20 had a decreased inhibitory effect on BTV replication [1]. In acute kidney injury (AKI), tubule-specific deficiency of Isg20 in mice aggravated renal injury and RNA oxidation, while overexpression protected against oxidized RNA overproduction and renal ischemia/reperfusion injury, indicating Isg20's role in regulating RNA oxidation in AKI [2].

In conclusion, Isg20 is an important gene involved in antiviral defense and the regulation of RNA oxidation in AKI. Studies using gene knockout or conditional knockout models in mice have provided insights into its role in these biological processes and disease conditions, which may help in developing new therapeutic strategies for viral infections and AKI.