2. Definition
■ These are naturally occurring proteins inside the
body which interferes with the ability of viruses to
reproduce.
■ They belong to cytokine barriers of innate immunity.
immunity.
3. IMPORTANT FEATURES
■ First recognised by their ability to interfere with
viral infections in culture cells
■ Does not protect the virus infected cell that produces it
■ Itself is not an antiviral agent
It moves to other cells where it produces an antiviral state(By inhibiting
Viral replication)
6. INDUCTIONOF INTERFERON
A. IFN-alpha & beta (Type-I- IFNS)
When prototypic cell of origin is exposed to
-Viruses
-Double stranded RNA
-Cytokines
B. IFN-Y (Type-II- IFNS)
Following a number of immunological stimuli including :
-T-cell specific antigen
-Staphylococcal enterotoxin -A
-Mitogens (Phyto haemagglutinin,PhorbolEster etc)
