Type I interferon pathway in CNS homeostasis and neurological disorders
Blank T, Prinz M
Type I interferons (IFNs), IFN-α and IFN-β, represent the major effector cytokines of the host immune response against viruses and other intracellular pathogens. These cytokines are produced via activation of numerous pattern recognition receptors, including the Toll-like receptor signaling network, retinoic acid-inducible gene-1 (RIG-1), melanoma differentiation-associated protein-5 (MDA-5) and interferon gamma-inducible protein-16 (IFI-16). Whilst the contribution of type I IFNs to peripheral immunity is well documented, they can also be produced by almost every cell in the central nervous system (CNS). This capacity of type I IFNs could also explain the therapeutic benefits of exogenous type I IFN in chronic CNS autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. In this review we will highlight the importance of a wellbalanced level of type I IFNs for healthy brain physiology, and to what extent dysregulation of this cytokine system can result in brain 'interferonopathies'.
