Interferon Signaling

Stable Identifier
R-HSA-913531
Type
Pathway
Species
Homo sapiens
ReviewStatus
5/5
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Interferons (IFNs) are cytokines that play a central role in initiating immune responses, especially antiviral and antitumor effects. There are three types of IFNs:Type I (IFN-alpha, -beta and others, such as omega, epsilon, and kappa), Type II (IFN-gamma) and Type III (IFN-lamda). In this module we are mainly focusing on type I IFNs alpha and beta and type II IFN-gamma. Both type I and type II IFNs exert their actions through cognate receptor complexes, IFNAR and IFNGR respectively, present on cell surface membranes. Type I IFNs are broadly expressed heterodimeric receptors composed of the IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 subunits, while the type II IFN receptor consists of IFNGR1 and IFNGR2. Type III interferon lambda has three members: lamda1 (IL-29), lambda2 (IL-28A), and lambda3 (IL-28B) respectively. IFN-lambda signaling is initiated through unique heterodimeric receptor composed of IFN-LR1/IF-28Ralpha and IL10R2 chains.
Type I IFNs typically recruit JAK1 and TYK2 proteins to transduce their signals to STAT1 and 2; in combination with IRF9 (IFN-regulatory factor 9), these proteins form the heterotrimeric complex ISGF3. In nucleus ISGF3 binds to IFN-stimulated response elements (ISRE) to promote gene induction.
Type II IFNs in turn rely upon the activation of JAKs 1 and 2 and STAT1. Once activated, STAT1 dimerizes to form the transcriptional regulator GAF (IFNG activated factor) and this binds to the IFNG activated sequence (GAS) elements and initiate the transcription of IFNG-responsive genes.
Like type I IFNs, IFN-lambda recruits TYK2 and JAK1 kinases and then promote the phosphorylation of STAT1/2, and induce the ISRE3 complex formation.
Literature References
PubMed ID Title Journal Year
14525967 Interferon-gamma: an overview of signals, mechanisms and functions

Schroder, K, Ravasi, T, Hume, DA, Hertzog, PJ

J Leukoc Biol 2004
15864272 Mechanisms of type-I- and type-II-interferon-mediated signalling

Platanias, LC

Nat Rev Immunol 2005
18929502 IFNgamma signaling-does it mean JAK-STAT?

Gough, DJ, Levy, DE, Clarke, CJ, Johnstone, RW

Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2008
19059436 Interferons: signaling, antiviral and viral evasion

Ferreira, PC, Bonjardim, CA, Kroon, EG

Immunol Lett 2009
15607020 Mechanisms of type-I interferon signal transduction

Platanias, LC, Uddin, S

J Biochem Mol Biol 2004
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