The role of type I IFN in autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases with CNS involvement

Sylvia Raftopoulou; Anna Rapti; Dimitris Karathanasis; Maria Eleftheria Evangelopoulos; Clio P Mavragani

doi:10.3389/fneur.2022.1026449

The role of type I IFN in autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases with CNS involvement

Front Neurol. 2022 Nov 10:13:1026449. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1026449. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Sylvia Raftopoulou¹, Anna Rapti¹, Dimitris Karathanasis², Maria Eleftheria Evangelopoulos², Clio P Mavragani¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
² First Department of Neurology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aeginition Hospital, Athens, Greece.

Abstract

Type I interferons (IFNs) are major mediators of innate immunity, with well-known antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory properties. A growing body of evidence suggests the involvement of type I IFNs in the pathogenesis of central nervous system (CNS) manifestations in the setting of chronic autoimmune and autoinflammatory disorders, while IFN-β has been for years, a well-established therapeutic modality for multiple sclerosis (MS). In the present review, we summarize the current evidence on the mechanisms of type I IFN production by CNS cellular populations as well as its local effects on the CNS. Additionally, the beneficial effects of IFN-β in the pathophysiology of MS are discussed, along with the contributory role of type I IFNs in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric lupus erythematosus and type I interferonopathies.

Keywords: central nervous system; multiple sclerosis; neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE); type I IFN; type I interferonopathies.

Publication types

Review