Publication: Type III interferons: Balancing tissue tolerance and resistance to pathogen invasion.

Published in: J Exp Med 2020 Jan; 217(1):

Authors: Broggi A, Granucci F, Zanoni I

Summary

Type III IFNs, or IFN-λ, are the newest members of the IFN family and were long believed to play roles that were redundant with those of type I IFNs. However, IFN-λ displays unique traits that delineate them as primary protectors of barrier integrity at mucosal sites. This unique role stems both from the restricted expression of IFN-λ receptor, confined to epithelial cells and to a limited pool of immune cells, and from unique immunomodulatory properties of IFN-λ. Here, we discuss recent findings that establish the unique capacity of IFN-λ to act at the barriers of the host to balance tissue tolerance and immune resistance against viral and bacterial challenges.

Link to Pubmed [PMID] – 31821443

Link to DOI – 10.1084/jem.20190295