69 Interferon

KYJ 69 - Interferon & cytokines

To communicate with each other,  many cells in your body release chemical signals called cytokines. There are many cytokines, and their function differs greatly.  An example of cytokines include interleukins, lymphokines, and interferons.

Often clinicians hear these jargon words, but few know what they are.  This post will explore interferon.

Interferons are cytokines that are released by cells infected by virus, bacteria, parasites or tumour. And they have a few jobs.  They are called interferon because they interfere with the virus proliferation.

1
Suppose a cell lining the throat should be invaded by a virus.  It becomes the Host for the virus.

Ordinarily a virus would alter the throat cell's DNA and force the cell to replicate the virus genetic matter. Hence, the cell is converted into a virus factory.

It is not recognised by the immune system as foreign, because it is one of the body's own cells.  So how does this virus get destroyed???

Signalling its distress, the host cell releases a chemical signal called interferon.   This alerts the immune system that it has been taken hostage by the virus, and in the ultimate act of sacrifice, instructs the immune system to destroy the cell.  Macrophages are activated to move in and eat the host cell.  Now that's taking one for the team!!

2
A second task of the interferon is that the healthy cells around the diseased Host cell are "warned" that it's neighbour has been infiltrated by the baddies and to resist getting invaded.

3
In response to interferon the healthy cells around the infection can produce an enzyme that destroys the protein shell that the virus comes packaged in.

Whilst not an Antibiotic, interferon sure behaves like one in viral infections.  You'll know about them early because when they are released they often cause muscle aches and pains (myalgia) and lethargy in the prodrome to a full infection.

Have you ever felt a bit Fluy? Well that yuk feeling is (in part), interferon.

There are 10 or so different interferons, and some are specific to viral invasion and some prevent tumour proliferation.  In a nutshell, they are cytokines that act on enhancing our immune fight against invasion.

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