title: [Interferons and autoimmune diseases].
abstract: Interferons are widely expressed cytokines that have potent antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory effects. Type I interferons show complex biology; in some cases, they promote autoimmunity and inflammation, and in other cases, exhibit homeostatic functions by controlling inflammation and tissue destruction. This complexity is exemplified in the 2 major autoimmune diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus, in which type I interferons play an important role in the pathogenesis, and multiple sclerosis, in which interferon beta, a type I interferon, exhibits protective and therapeutic roles. This article reviews the basic clinical data on type I interferons in autoimmune diseases and type I interferons as potential targets for therapies in autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Research, Hokkaido Medical Center.
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niino
authors.forename: Yusei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D007372:Interferons / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007372:Interferons