Interferon: signal molecules involved in its antiviral effect.

A major problem concerning interferon (IFN)-cell interaction is the second messenger system that transduces the IFN signal. We discuss the evidences existing in literature and our arguments which suggest that the antiviral effect of IFNs alpha and beta are mediated by a membrane mechanism including a phospholipase C dependent hydrolysis of phosphoinositides. The resulting two second messengers: diacylglycerol and inositol triphosphate and subsequent, separate but interacting, signal pathways: activation of protein kinase C and ionic events are tested in respect with the antiviral effect of IFN.