Do second messengers play a role in interferon signal transduction?

The signalling pathway by which the binding of interferons (IFNs, alpha and beta) to their receptor elicits its biological activity, the activation of the transcription of a distinct set of genes called the IFN-stimulated genes (ISG), is far from clear. Debate continues about whether interferon-receptor interaction results directly in gene activation or if second messengers are involved. In this article, we will discuss the evidence that rapid and transient changes in lipid metabolism and the activation of specific isoforms of protein kinase C (PKC) are involved in the initial signalling of interferon activation.