RLR Reporter Cell Lines

RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) constitute a family of three cytoplasmic RNA helicases that are critical for host antiviral responses. RIG-I (retinoic-acid-inducible protein 1) and MDA-5 (melanoma-differentiation-associated gene 5) sense double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), a replication intermediate for RNA viruses. A third RLR has been described: LGP2. LGP2 contains a RNA binding domain but lacks the CARD domains and thus acts as a negative feedback regulator of RIG-I and MDA-5.

InvivoGen offers several cell lines to study the RLR pathway: A549-Dual™ cells, which derive from the human A549 lung carcinoma cell line; B16-Blue™ IFN-α/β, which derive from murine B16 melanoma cells;  HEK-Lucia™ RIG-I, an engineered human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cell line; RAW-Lucia™ ISG cells, a mouse macrophage reporter cell line; and THP1-Blue™ ISG, which derive from human THP-1 monocytes. These cells express an inducible reporter (SEAP or Lucia luciferase) system to facilitate the monitoring of RLR-induced IRF3/7 and/or NF-κB activation.