Anti-inflammatory properties of pro-inflammatory interferon-γ

H Mühl, J Pfeilschifter - International immunopharmacology, 2003 - Elsevier
H Mühl, J Pfeilschifter
International immunopharmacology, 2003Elsevier
Production of interferon-γ (IFNγ) in response to infection is a hallmark of innate and adaptive
immunity. In addition to the pivotal role of IFNγ in host defense, its excessive release has
been associated with the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
In fact, knockout models reveal that IFNγ plays a key role in mediating a number of
pathological processes related to chronic immune activation. On the other hand, evidence
has been accumulated in recent years that supports the concept of a dual role of IFNγ in …
Production of interferon-γ (IFNγ) in response to infection is a hallmark of innate and adaptive immunity. In addition to the pivotal role of IFNγ in host defense, its excessive release has been associated with the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In fact, knockout models reveal that IFNγ plays a key role in mediating a number of pathological processes related to chronic immune activation. On the other hand, evidence has been accumulated in recent years that supports the concept of a dual role of IFNγ in inflammation. Here, we review anti-inflammatory aspects of IFNγ in the regulatory network of cytokine biology. These include induction of anti-inflammatory molecules such as interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP), modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine production, activation of apoptosis, and interference with the signal transduction machinery by induction of suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS).
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