Immunologic effects of interferon.

Interferons can be defined as a family of induced proteins sharing the capacity to exert pleiotropic effects on cell functions and to render cells resistant to virus infection. They are activating genes coding for a number of enzymes, most of which have not yet been characterized, and also by enhancing the synthesis of cell surface components. This enables interferons to modulate the immune response at different levels. This article will focus on the effects of interferon on antigen presentation, regulation of the immune response, activation of macrophage functions, and on its role in the pathogenesis of some diseases.