A distinct IFN-α-induced gene expression profile in NOD/BDC2.5 and NOD mice. (A) Overview of the gene expression profile in CD4+ T cells from the PLNs of NOD/BDC 2.5 mice at 2, 6, and 12 weeks of age. All genes shown were selected by Significance analysis of microarray (SAM) analysis for a fold change value >2 between the 2- and 6-week samples. Individual values are expressed as the ratio of the expression value to the control (2-week-old NOD mice) value. Data from individual genes are depicted as a single row. Different replicates and different time points are shown as columns. Red and green indicate genes expressed at higher or lower levels than control. The intensity of the color reflects the magnitude of the change from baseline. Duplicated arrays at each time point and the results of two separately repeated experiments are included. (B) IFN-α-inducible genes with more than a twofold change in expression level between 2- and 6-week-old NOD/BDC 2.5 mice (open bars). The fold changes in WT NOD counterpart are shown in parallel (gray bars). These genes include B2m (β-2 microglobulin), Cxcr4 (Chemokine [C-X-C motif] receptor 4), Eif2ak2 (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2-α kinase 2), Ifit1 (IFN-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 1), Ifit3 (IFN-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 3), Isg15 (IFN-stimulated gene 15), Oas1a (2′-5′ oligoadenylate synthetase 1A), and Sh2d1a (SH2 domain protein 1A). (C) The mRNA expression ratio of IFN-α-inducible genes, compared at 4 (open bar) or 6 (gray bar) weeks with the 2-week control of NOD/BDC 2.5 and WT NOD mice by using real-time quantitative PCR. (D) Repressed mRNA expression of IFN-α-inducible genes by treatment with anti-IFNAR1 mAb. NOD/BDC 2.5 mice were treated i.p. with anti-IFNAR1 or control mAb on day 15 (one injection, open bar), or days 15 and 20 (two injections, gray bar) after birth. CD4+ T cells were purified from the PLNs at 25 days of age for analysis of the mRNA expression of IFN-α-inducible genes by using real-time quantitative PCR.