Human interferon-ω: an underappreciated type I interferon
Abstract
Interferon-ω (IFN-ω) is a member of the human type I interferon family that has historically been overshadowed by IFN-α and IFN-β. Recent human "natural perturbations", most notably selective neutralization of IFN-ω by autoantibodies in life-threatening viral infections, have renewed interest in this comparatively understudied cytokine and indicate that its antiviral activity may not always be fully compensated in defined clinical settings. This renewed focus has prompted reassessment of its single-gene organization, distinct antigenicity, intermediate receptor-binding kinetics, cellular sources, and regulatory mechanisms. In parallel, thymus-centered tolerance disorders, including autoimmune regulator (AIRE) deficiency, additional inborn errors of immune tolerance, and acquired "sick thymus" states, establish anti-IFN-ω autoantibodies as a stable, high-penetrance immunophenotype linking tolerance failure to durable cytokine-directed autoimmunity. Beyond antiviral defense, multi-omic studies in lupus-spectrum disease suggest tissue- and compartment-specific IFN-ω signals within broader type I interferon programs, yet endogenous IFN-ω remains rarely quantified with ligand-level resolution. This Review integrates current knowledge of IFN-ω from molecular regulation to human disease. Further progress will require subtype-resolved measurement, direct comparison with other type I interferons under matched conditions, and human genetic studies testing whether rare IFNW1 variants…
Read the paper
Related studies
- eggNOG 5.0: a hierarchical, functionally and phylogenetically annotated orthology resource based on 5090 organisms and 2502 viruses
- Online Survival Analysis Software to Assess the Prognostic Value of Biomarkers Using Transcriptomic Data in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
- OptiType: precision HLA typing from next-generation sequencing data
- Nicotinic Cholinergic System and COVID-19: In Silico Identification of an Interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and Nicotinic Receptors with Potential Therapeutic Targeting Implications
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells have three Omega class glutathione S-transferases acting as 1-Cys thiol transferases
- Hemolysis at low blood flow rates: in-vitro and in-silico evaluation of a centrifugal blood pump
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.