IFN-α and IFN-β: a link between immune memory and chronic inflammation

Abstract

The majority of expanded T cells generated during an immune response are cleared by apoptosis. Prevention of death in some activated T cells enables the persistence of a memory T-cell pool. Here, observations that IFN-α and IFN-β inhibit activated T-cell apoptosis are described. Although this enables memory T cells to persist without antigen, excessive IFN-α or IFN-γ secretion might lead to chronic inflammation.