TITLE:
The talented interferon-gamma
AUTHORS:
Fan-Ching Lin, Howard A. Young
KEYWORDS:
IFN-γ; Inflammation; Autoimmune; Cancer; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Stem Cells
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology,
Vol.4 No.7C,
July
17,
2013
ABSTRACT: IFN-γ is an extraordinarily pleotropic cytokine. It can not only heighten both the innate and adaptive immune response against pathogens and tumors, but also has the ability to maintain immune homeostasis. Since the effects of IFN-γ are cell and tissue specific, it is important to consider the recent advances in IFN-γ signaling in the context of different diseases. To this end, we review the involvement of IFN-γ in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory diseases, its therapeutic potential as an anti-tumor agent and its effects upon stem cells.