Introduction: Immunotherapies have been effective in treating various forms of cancer, including cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CINs) predominantly caused by human papilloma virus (HPV).
Development: To establish persistent infections in stratified epithelia, HPV induces proliferative lesions. Viral gene products are able to change gene expression and cellular proteins. Interferons (IFNs) are inducible glycoproteins that have immunomodulatory, antiviral, antiproliferative, and antiangiogenic effects. In particular, interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) has been shown to inhibit the development and progression of cervical cancer. In this review, actions of interferons alpha/beta (alpha/beta), including their receptors and signaling pathways, are described, as well as their clinical importance in the immune response against cervical lesions.
Conclusion: The interaction of IFN-alpha/beta with its receptor results in a series of phosphorylation events. These mechanisms can be ineffective in IFN response, then it can also compromise the therapeutic effects of immunotherapy.