Interferon-α (IFN-α) is a type I interferon. In humans, there are 13 IFN-α subtypes: IFN-α 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, and 21. Like the other subtypes, interferon-α2 is mainly produced by virus-infected cells after sensing the presence of danger signals such as viral DNA or RNA. The binding of IFN-α2 to its receptor thus initiates an anti-viral response, but also anti-tumor effects have been shown. Being the first to be discovered, IFN-α2 is the most widely studied subtype. It has been used as a cytokine therapy versus hepatitis C virus infections.
| Alternative analyte names: | Interferon-α2, Interferon-alpha2, IFN-α2, IFN-alpha2, IFN-a2, IFNA2 |
| Cell types: | pDC |
| Products: | Click here to see our portfolio of IFN-α2 products. |