IFN-gamma expression in macrophages and its possible biological significance.
IFN-gamma is a pleiotropic cytokine endowed with potent immunomodulatory effects whose expression was long considered to be restricted to T and NK cells. Only recently, it became evident that IFN-gamma production can also occur in other cell types, including monocyte/macrophages. However, the biological relevance of macrophage IFN-gamma is still unclear. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the collected evidence demonstrating IFN-gamma expression in macrophages and to discuss the possible biological significance of this cytokine production in the early phase of host response to infectious agents.
Gessani
S
S
Laboratory of Virology, Instituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. gessani@virus1.net.iss.it
Belardelli
F
F
D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological
D016207:Cytokines; D007371:Interferon-gamma