Twenty five years ago Isaas and Lindenmann discovered that virus-infected cells may release a protein capable of reacting with normal cells and render them resistant to infection by a variety of viruses. That protein, a major mediator of viral interference was called interferon. Three main types of interferon have been identified and originally designated as fibroblast, leukocyte and immune interferon. According to the newly adopted nomenclature (as defined by the International Committee on Interfern Nomenclature) these interferons are now called beta, alpha and gamma interferon, respectively. The use of interferon as a therapeutic agent for tumor-bearing patients has gained considerable interest after reports demonstrated potent enhancing effects of interferon on the immunologic system. Thus, besides its direct effect on tumor cell multiplication, interferon may influence the host-tumor relationship by activating cells with potential antitumor activity such as natural-killer (NK) cells, killer (K) cells or macrophages. Interferon can also modify the metabolism of molecules involved in immunologic functions, such as antigen receptors, histocompatibility antigens or receptors for Fc fragment of immunologlobulins. Systematic clinical trials with interferon have been greatly expanded over the last three or four years. At this time the data support a cautious optimism for the therapeutic value of interferon in both viral and neoplastic diseases.
25年前，伊萨克斯和林登曼发现，受病毒感染的细胞可能释放出一种能与正常细胞发生反应并使其对多种病毒感染产生抗性的蛋白质。那种蛋白质，即病毒干扰的主要介质，被称为干扰素。已鉴定出三种主要类型的干扰素，最初分别命名为成纤维细胞干扰素、白细胞干扰素和免疫干扰素。根据最新采用的命名法（由国际干扰素命名委员会定义），这些干扰素现在分别称为β干扰素、α干扰素和γ干扰素。在有报道证明干扰素对免疫系统有强大的增强作用之后，将干扰素用作肿瘤患者的治疗药物已引起了广泛关注。因此，除了对肿瘤细胞增殖有直接作用外，干扰素还可能通过激活具有潜在抗肿瘤活性的细胞（如自然杀伤细胞、杀伤细胞或巨噬细胞）来影响宿主与肿瘤的关系。干扰素还可以改变参与免疫功能的分子的代谢，如抗原受体、组织相容性抗原或免疫球蛋白Fc片段的受体。在过去的三四年里，干扰素的系统临床试验得到了极大的扩展。目前的数据支持对干扰素在病毒和肿瘤疾病治疗价值上持谨慎乐观的态度。
