IFIT2 and infection: Furthermore, infection in EPCs also resulted in robust induction of cytokines such as CXCL10, type I IFN as well as IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs), such as IFIT2. In contrast, DN-1 and wild-type strains H/PF/2013 and Paraiba, both of which have been shown to cause organ and vertical transmission in animal models24, infected EPCs at higher rates, but they did not induce a significant level of IFN or ISG responses in EPCs (Fig. 5c, Supplementary Fig. 4c, d).