Interferon signaling proteins (IFN signaling proteins)

Interferon signaling proteins represent a coordinated group of molecular components, including receptors, Janus kinases (JAKs), and Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STATs), that transmit signals from interferon cytokines to the nucleus (NIH, 2025). This pathway is fundamental to the host's antiviral defense, as it triggers the transcription of hundreds of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) that inhibit viral replication and assembly (Wikipedia, 2024). Beyond viral defense, these proteins regulate cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and the activation of immune cells such as natural killer cells and macrophages (UniProt). Dysregulation of interferon signaling is a hallmark of many autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), where an overactive interferon signature drives tissue damage, as well as in certain cancers where the pathway may be suppressed to evade immune surveillance (PubMed, 2022). Therapeutic interventions include the use of recombinant interferons to boost immunity in viral infections and multiple sclerosis, and the use of JAK inhibitors or monoclonal antibodies to suppress the pathway in autoimmune and hyperinflammatory conditions (StatPearls, 2023). Monitoring the activity of these proteins, often through ISG signatures or STAT phosphorylation, is crucial for assessing disease state and therapeutic efficacy (NIH, 2025).

Other names

Interferon signaling pathway componentsJAK-STAT pathway proteinsIFN-mediated signaling proteinsInterferon-stimulated gene products

Agonism of interferon receptors to induce antiviral and immunomodulatory gene expression; inhibition of Janus kinases (JAKs) to block downstream STAT phosphorylation and transcriptional activation; neutralization of interferon ligands or blockade of receptors to dampen pathological inflammatory signaling.