Interferon-alpha and -beta in kidney inflammation.

Type I interferons, interferon-alpha and interferon-beta, are central regulators of antiviral immunity and autoimmunity, but little is known about their role in renal inflammation. Recent work documents that viral nucleic acids are potent inducers of interferon-alpha and interferon-beta in mesangial cells and glomerular endothelial cells. This review discusses the available evidence on the role of interferon-alpha and interferon-beta in viral nephropathies, in kidney diseases triggered by extrarenal infections, in lupus nephritis, and in other kidney disease entities. Finally, we propose areas of research that may help unravel the roles of type I interferons and interferon-related genes in the renal field.