Viral Mastery: The Dynamic Regulation of Interferon Signaling

Interferons (IFNs) are antiviral cytokines that serve as key mediators of the innate immune response, and their production is induced in the majority of cells within hours of pathogen entry. IFNs are predominantly produced by pathogen-infected cells; however, their antiviral effects extend to surrounding cells through autocrine and paracrine signaling mechanisms, inducing the transcription of hundreds of antiviral genes. Numerous gene products either interfere directly with viral replication or play regulatory roles that influence the progression and strength of the ensuing immune response. Viruses, on the other hand, have devised techniques to circumvent the host antiviral immune response and establish infection. This review focuses on the current state of evidence demonstrating how certain viral proteins block antiviral responses via immunomodulatory strategies and discusses how to overcome these immune evasion tactics.