[The decisive importance of constitutional interferons in human and animal ontogenesis]

Biomedical publications contain little information on the constitutional (endogenous) interferons (IFNs) produced by different cells without prior exposure to viruses and oncogenic factors. Literature analysis has provided a generalized concept that these interferons play different functional roles according to ontogenetic stages. The maximum production of high-molecular- weight immature forms of IFNα/β was detected in the embryos of mice, Syrian hamsters, and humans and in the syncytiotrophoblast of placental villi. This is due to the direct involvement of IFNs in embryogenesis and fetogenesis. They also afford first-line antiviral and anti-oncogenic protection. In the late fetal and neonatal periods, IFN levels fall, rising slightly during the second year of life. In human adults, the organs consist of a branched network of cell producers of low concentrations of constitutional IFNs that carry out autocrine priming of cells for rapid and adequate volume synthesis of IFN during viral infection. Main publications on the ontogenesis of the IFN system came out in the 1980-1990; in recent years their number has decreased dramatically. It is necessary to increase the number of such studies, because they are fundamental to many branches of medicine.