The Influence of Interferon on Healthy and Diseased Skin

December 2018 in “ Cytokine ”

Grace A. Hile, Jóhann E. Guðjónsson, J. Michelle Kahlenberg

Type I interferons IFNα IFNβ IFNκ cutaneous lupus erythematosus dermatomyositis Sjogren’s syndrome psoriasis lichen planus alopecia areata vitiligo keratinocyte biology Type I IFNs IFN-alpha IFN-beta IFN-kappa CLE

TLDR Type I interferons play a key role in the development of various skin diseases.

The document reviewed the role of Type I interferons (IFNs), which are cytokines involved in immune responses against infections, in both healthy skin and various autoimmune and inflammatory skin diseases. It highlighted that Type I IFNs, including IFNα, IFNβ, and IFNκ produced by the epidermis, are significant in the pathogenesis of diseases such as cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), dermatomyositis, Sjogren’s syndrome, psoriasis, lichen planus, alopecia areata, and vitiligo. The review, based on a PubMed database search, discussed the impact of IFNs on keratinocyte biology and the genetic and protein changes induced by IFNs that contribute to clinical manifestations of these skin conditions.

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