Decoding the complexity of type I interferon to treat persistent viral infections.
Type I interferons (IFN-I) are a broad family of cytokines that are central to the innate immune response. These proteins have long been appreciated for the critical roles they play in restraining viral infections and shaping antiviral immune responses. However, in recent years there has been increased awareness of the immunosuppressive actions of these proteins as well. Although there are many current therapeutic applications to manipulate IFN-I pathways, we have limited understanding of the mechanisms by which these therapies are actually functioning. In this review, we highlight the diversity and temporal impact of IFN-I signaling, discuss the current therapeutic uses of IFN-I, and explore the strategy of blocking IFN-I to alleviate immune dysfunction in persistent virus infections.
Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics and the UCLA AIDS Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. Electronic address: lizbwilson@ucla.edu.
Elizabeth B
EB
Wilson
David G
DG
Brooks
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D018406:Virus Physiological Phenomena; D014780:Viruses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
D007370:Interferon Type I
HIV; LCMV; immune activation; immunosuppression; persistent; therapy; type I interferon; virus