Biological activity of gamma interferon.
Gamma interferon (IFN) is mainly produced, under natural conditions, by antigen-specific T lymphocytes during the immune response. Cooperation with macrophages is required. Although discovered in 1965 as an antiviral agents, today this type of IFN is considered a lymphokine deeply involved in the regulation of several immunological reactions such as: cytotoxicity; expression of surface antigens, mainly MHC antigens; cellular differentiation; antibody production; macrophage activation. In this review the authors discuss some aspects of the biology of gamma IFN as pleiotropic lymphokine as well as the cellular events leading to gamma IFN production.
Dianzani
F
F
Istituto di Virologia, Università degli Studi La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
Antonelli
G
G
Capobianchi
M R
MR
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D007371:Interferon-gamma