Pathways involved in viral recognition and antiviral signaling as well as functions involved in viability of leukocytes and antiviral and inflammatory responses were found to be downregulated in IFNAR−/− compared to WT astrocytes (Additional file 1: Tables S3 and S4), which can explain why the IFNAR−/− cells responded poorly after viral infection. The gene discussed is IFNAR1; the disease is viral infectious disease.