Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 16, 2026

High-throughput Quantitative Real-time RT-PCR Assay for Determining Expression Profiles of Types I and III Interferon Subtypes
10:00

High-throughput Quantitative Real-time RT-PCR Assay for Determining Expression Profiles of Types I and III Interferon Subtypes

Published on: March 24, 2015

Interferon: effects on the immune response and the mechanism of activation of the cellular response

H M Johnson, S Baron

    CRC Critical Reviews in Biochemistry
    |November 1, 1976
    PubMed

    The discovery of interferon in 1957 by Drs. Isaacs and Lindenmann led to major revisions in the concepts of man's defenses against viral infections. There are at least two types of interferon. Along with their antiviral properties, they have recently been shown to exert a suppressive effect on the humoral and cellular immune response; they affect both B and T lymphocytes. A variety of substances, including virus, polyribonucleotides, and mitogens for T lymphocytes, are good interferon inducers. T lymphocytes seem to be necessary for these inducers to exert their immunosuppressive effects. The immunosuppressive effects of interferon inducers suggests that interferons may be mediators of suppressor T lymphocyte effects. In the virus system, interferon does not exert its antiviral effects by direct action on the virus, but rather derepresses a cell gene that results in the production of an antiviral protein. This antiviral protein is probably the mediator of inhibition of virus replication. This is a complex sequence of events that results in the interaction of interferon with the cell membrane and the resulting production of the antiviral state in the cell. This review will examine the various steps of this involved process.

    More Related Videos

    A High Resolution Method to Monitor Phosphorylation-dependent Activation of IRF311:44

    A High Resolution Method to Monitor Phosphorylation-dependent Activation of IRF3

    Published on: January 24, 2016

    Experimental Infection with Listeria monocytogenes as a Model for Studying Host Interferon-γ Responses10:10

    Experimental Infection with Listeria monocytogenes as a Model for Studying Host Interferon-γ Responses

    Published on: November 16, 2016

    Related Concept Videos

    Antimicrobial Proteins01:23

    Antimicrobial Proteins

    Antimicrobial proteins are important components of the immune system. They aid the body in combating pathogens by either killing them directly or hindering their replication processes. Four main types of antimicrobial substances are interferons, the complement system, iron-binding proteins, and antimicrobial proteins.
    Interferons
    Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
    T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

    T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

    T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
    Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
    T Cell Types and Functions01:24

    T Cell Types and Functions

    When T cells with CD4 markers are activated, they give rise to two types of effector cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Meanwhile, T cells with CD8 markers differentiate into effector cytotoxic T cells. The differentiation of CD4 T cells into helper T cell subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, is dependent on the antigen type, antigen-presenting cell, and regulatory cytokines.
    Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
    Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

    Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

    Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
    Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
    Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens01:29

    Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens

    The immune system's response to viral infections is a complex and coordinated process involving natural killer (NK) cells, T cell-mediated responses, and antibody-mediated responses.
    NK Cells
    NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
    Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis01:30

    Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis

    Protein synthesis is indispensable for viral replication, as viruses lack the cellular machinery required for this process and must hijack the host's translational apparatus. In response, host cells deploy a critical innate immune defense involving interferons, specialized cytokines that play a central role in inhibiting viral propagation.Upon viral detection, infected cells release interferons that bind to receptors on adjacent uninfected cells, activating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and...