Fitzgerald-Bocarsly P
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Medical School, Newark 07103.
Pharmacol Ther. 1993 Oct;60(1):39-62. doi: 10.1016/0163-7258(93)90021-5.
Interferons (IFNs) are critical components of the host immune system, serving as antiviral agents, immunomodulators and inhibitors of cell growth. Among peripheral blood mononuclear cells, the primary IFN-alpha-producing cell is a light density, HLA-DR+ cell negative for cell surface markers typical for T cells, B cells, monocytes, natural-killer or progenitor cells and has been tentatively termed the 'natural IFN-producing cell' or NIPC. Although present in very low frequency (approximately 1:1000 among peripheral blood mononuclear cells), the NIPC are very potent, with an individual cell able to produce 1-2 IU of IFN. In this review, the characteristics, phenotype, regulation and relationship of NIPC to human disease are discussed.
干扰素（IFNs）是宿主免疫系统的关键组成部分，可作为抗病毒剂、免疫调节剂和细胞生长抑制剂。在外周血单核细胞中，主要产生α干扰素的细胞是低密度、HLA - DR阳性细胞，其细胞表面标志物对T细胞、B细胞、单核细胞、自然杀伤细胞或祖细胞而言呈阴性，暂被称为“天然干扰素产生细胞”或NIPC。尽管NIPC在外周血单核细胞中的出现频率极低（约为1:1000），但它们的活性很强，单个细胞能够产生1 - 2国际单位的干扰素。在这篇综述中，将讨论NIPC的特征、表型、调节及其与人类疾病的关系。
