Circulating interferon in human autoimmune diseases.

In summary, IFN is found in the circulation of patients with certain autoimmune diseases. Moreover, the presence of IFN in SLE patients correlate with immunologic and clinical disease activity. Characterization of IFN shows that it is a leukocyte product and may consist of subtypes of IFN-alpha or a mixture of alpha and gamma IFN. The exact role of IFN in the pathogenesis of human autoimmune disorders remains unknown. However, since IFN is an immunoregulatory protein, it is possible that it may modify immune functions in these patients.