Type I Interferon Suppresses Type II Interferon-Triggered Human Anti-Mycobacterial Responses SCIENCE Teles, R. M., Graeber, T. G., Krutzik, S. R., Montoya, D., Schenk, M., Lee, D. J., Komisopoulou, E., Kelly-Scumpia, K., Chun, R., Iyer, S. S., Sarno, E. N., Rea, T. H., Hewison, M., Adams, J. S., Popper, S. J., Relman, D. A., Stenger, S., Bloom, B. R., Cheng, G., Modlin, R. L. 2013; 339 (6126): 1448-1453

Abstract

Type I interferons (IFN-a and IFN-ß) are important for protection against many viral infections, whereas type II interferon (IFN-?) is essential for host defense against some bacterial and parasitic pathogens. Study of IFN responses in human leprosy revealed an inverse correlation between IFN-ß and IFN-? gene expression programs. IFN-? and its downstream vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial genes were preferentially expressed in self-healing tuberculoid lesions and mediated antimicrobial activity against the pathogen Mycobacterium leprae in vitro. In contrast, IFN-ß and its downstream genes, including interleukin-10 (IL-10), were induced in monocytes by M. leprae in vitro and preferentially expressed in disseminated and progressive lepromatous lesions. The IFN-?-induced macrophage vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial peptide response was inhibited by IFN-ß and by IL-10, suggesting that the differential production of IFNs contributes to protection versus pathogenesis in some human bacterial infections.

View details for DOI 10.1126/science.1233665

View details for Web of Science ID 000316740700047

View details for PubMedID 23449998

View details for PubMedCentralID PMC3653587