Interferon‐gamma and resistance to bacterial infections

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

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