The family of interferon (IFN) proteins has now quite reached the potential envisioned by early discovering virologists: IFNs aren't only antivirals with a spectrum of clinical effectiveness against both RNA and DNA viruses, but also are the prototypic biological response modifiers for oncology, and show effectiveness in suppressing manifestations of MS. The invention and molecular understanding of the cellular mechanisms and clinical use of interferon (IFNs) has been a serious advance in biomedicine over the past 50 years. This family of secreted anticrime and paracrine proteins stimulates intracellular and intercellular networks that regulate resistance to viral infections, enhance innate and purchased immune responses, and modulate normal and tumor cell survival and death.
