Interferon-gamma and resistance to bacterial infections.

Since its initial description as an antiviral, it has become clear that Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) has potent immunoregulatory and cell growth regulatory activities. As a result of these additional activities, it is now apparent that IFN-gamma plays a major role in regulation of bacterial infections. IFN-gamma can be both induced by bacteria and bacterial products; endogenous IFN-gamma production has been shown to play a protective role in the natural host response to several bacterial infections; and administration of exogenous IFN-gamma is effective in the prevention and treatment of bacterial infections in numerous animal model systems. Although it is now clear that IFN-gamma plays a role in regulation of bacterial infections, the mechanisms of its anti-bacterial effects in vivo remain to be established due to the pleiotropic nature of IFN-gamma activity.