title: Fine-tuning of type I IFN-signaling in microglia--implications for homeostasis, CNS autoimmunity and interferonopathies.
abstract: Type I interferons (IFN) are pleiotropic cytokines originally described as molecules used for communication between cells to trigger the protective defenses against viral infections. Upon activation, type I IFN can be produced locally in the central nervous system (CNS) from a number of different cell types including microglia, the CNS-resident macrophages. Increased type I IFN production and signaling in microglia are critically important to limit viral infection and disease progression in multiple sclerosis. However, recent findings suggest that even baseline levels of constitutive IFN expression and secretion are important for homeostasis of the CNS. In fact, in the absence of viral particles chronic elevation of IFN I may be tremendously harmful for the CNS, as assumed for patients suffering from Aicardi-Goutières syndrome, Cree encephalitis or other type I interferonopathies. The highly diverse nature of type I IFN for brain homeostasis during health and disease will be discussed in this report.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuropathology, University of Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Goldmann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuropathology, University of Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blank
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuropathology, University of Freiburg, Germany; BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: marco.prinz@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prinz
mesh_terms: D020274:Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System / Q000276:immunology*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000276:immunology*; D017628:Microglia / Q000276:immunology*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000276:immunology; D009421:Nervous System Malformations / Q000276:immunology; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I