title: [Janus-faced?: Effects and side-effects of interferon therapy in ophthalmology].
abstract: Interferon alpha (IFN-α) and interferon beta (IFN-β) are naturally occurring cytokines, which belong to the type I interferons and share the same receptor leading to very similar therapeutic effects. The immunomodulatory effect of type I interferons includes modulation of antibody production, inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation, inhibition of delayed-type hypersensitivity and enhancement of T-cell and NK-cell cytotoxicity. An increasing number of open clinical studies and case reports have demonstrated the efficacy of IFN-α for severe ocular inflammation in patients with Behçet's disease and of interferon-β, which has been used mainly for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Augenklinik, Charite Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200, Berlin, Deutschland. nicole.stuebiger@charite.de
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stübiger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Winterhalter
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pleyer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doycheva
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zierhut
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deuter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D031300:Retinal Vasculitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D014605:Uveitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D016899:Interferon-beta