Type I interferons, which make up the first cytokine family to be described and are the
essential mediators of antivirus host defense, have emerged as central elements in the
immunopathology of systemic autoimmune diseases, with systemic lupus erythematosus as
the prototype. Lessons from investigation of interferon regulation following virus infection
can be applied to lupus, with the conclusion that sustained production of type I interferon
shifts nearly all components of the immune system toward pathologic functions that result in …