Type III Interferons in Antiviral Defenses at Barrier Surfaces.
Abstract
Barrier surfaces such as the epithelium lining the respiratory and gastrointestinal
(GI) tracts, the endothelium comprising the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and placental
trophoblasts provide key physical and immunological protection against viruses. These
barriers utilize nonredundant mechanisms to suppress viral infections including the
production of interferons (IFNs), which induce a strong antiviral state following
receptor binding. However, whereas type I IFNs control infection systemically, type
III IFNs (IFN-λs) control infection locally at barrier surfaces and are often preferentially
induced by these cells. In this review we focus on the role of IFN-λ at barrier surfaces,
focusing on the respiratory and GI tracts, the BBB, and the placenta, and on how these
IFNs act to suppress viral infections.
Type
Journal articleSubject
Gastrointestinal TractRespiratory System
Blood-Brain Barrier
Placenta
Animals
Humans
Virus Diseases
Interferons
Pregnancy
Female
Skin Physiological Phenomena
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/22583Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1016/j.it.2018.08.008Publication Info
Wells, Alexandra I; & Coyne, Carolyn B (2018). Type III Interferons in Antiviral Defenses at Barrier Surfaces. Trends in immunology, 39(10). pp. 848-858. 10.1016/j.it.2018.08.008. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/22583.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Carolyn Coyne
George Barth Geller Distinguished Professor of Immunology
We study the pathways by which microorganisms cross cellular barriers and the mechanisms
by which these barriers restrict microbial infections. Our studies primarily focus
on the epithelium that lines the gastrointestinal tract and on placental trophoblasts,
the cells that comprise a key cellular barrier of the human placenta. Our work is
highly multidisciplinary and encompasses aspects of cell biology, immunology, and
microbiology. Our long-term goals are to identify pathogen- and host-spe

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