Type I interferon and interferon-stimulated gene expression in oral epithelial cells.

Oral epithelial cells (OEC) represent the first site of host interaction with viruses that infect the body through the oral route; however, their innate antiviral defense mechanisms yet to be defined. Previous studies have determined that OEC express pathogen-, damage-, or danger-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs or DAMPs), but their expression of key antiviral innate immune mediators, including type I interferons (type I IFN) and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) has not been studied extensively. We used the oral keratinocyte cell line, OKF6/TERT1, in the presence and absence of the viral mimics poly(I:C) and unmethylated CpG DNA, to define the expression of type I IFN and ISGs. We identified the basal expression of novel type I IFN genes IFNE and IFNK, while IFNB1 was induced by viral mimics, through the nuclear translocation of IRF3. Numerous ISGs were expressed at basal levels in OEC, with an apparent correlation between high expression and antiviral activity at the earlier stages of viral infection. Stimulation of OECs with poly(I:C) led to selective induction of ISGs, including MX1, BST2, PML, RSAD2, ISG15, and ZC3HAV1. Together, our results demonstrate that OECs exhibit a robust innate antiviral immune defense profile, which is primed to address a wide variety of pathogenic viruses that are transmitted orally.

The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale: a possible more stable sub-scale model for the original version of RIPLS.

The original version of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was published by Parsell and Bligh (1999). Three sub-scales with acceptable or high internal consistencies were suggested, however two publications suggested different sub-scales. An investigation into how to improve the reliability for use of the RIPLS instrument with undergraduate health-care students commenced. Content analysis on the original 19 items involving experienced health-care staff resulted in four sub-scales. These sub-scales were then used to formulate a possible model within a structural equation model. The goodness of fit was assessed using a sample (n = 308) of new first year undergraduate students from 8 different health and social care programmes. The same data was fitted to each of the two original sub-scale models suggested by Parsell and Bligh (1999) and the results compared. The fit of the new four sub-scale model appears superior to either of the original models. The new four factor model was then tested on subsequent data (n = 247) obtained from the same students at the end of their first year. The fit was seen to be even better at the end of the academic year.