Interferon regulatory factor 7 in inflammation, cancer and infection

Front Immunol. 2023 May 12:14:1190841. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1190841. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7), a member of the interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) family, is located downstream of the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs)-mediated signaling pathway and is essential for the production of type I interferon (IFN-I). Activation of IRF7 inhibits various viral and bacterial infections and suppresses the growth and metastasis of some cancers, but it may also affect the tumor microenvironment and promote the development of other cancers. Here, we summarize recent advances in the role of IRF7 as a multifunctional transcription factor in inflammation, cancer and infection by regulating IFN-I production or IFN-I-independent signaling pathways.

Keywords: IRF7; cancer; infection; inflammation; interferon.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Inflammation
  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-7* / metabolism
  • Interferon Type I* / metabolism
  • Neoplasms*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tumor Microenvironment

Substances

  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-7
  • Interferon Type I
  • IRF7 protein, human

Grants and funding

This work was supported by funds from National Natural Science Foundation of China (31960163), Jianggang Scholor of Jiangxi Province (QD202205), Inflammation and Immunology Research Team of Gannan Medical University (TD2021JC01), Key Project of Cardiocerebrovascular Diseases of Gannan Medical University (XN201906), and Scientific Project of Gannan Medical University (YQ202005) (to ZL).