Immunomodulatory activity of interferon‐beta

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex disorder of the central nervous system that appears to be driven by a shift in immune functioning toward excess inflammation that results in demyelination and axonal loss. Beta interferons were the first class of disease‐modifying therapies to be approved for patients with MS after treatment with this type I interferon improved the course of MS on both clinical and radiological measures in clinical trials. The mechanism of action of interferon‐beta appears to be driven by influencing the immune system at many levels, including antigen‐presenting cells, T cells, and B cells. One effect of these interactions is to shift cytokine networks in favor of an anti‐inflammatory effect. The pleiotropic mechanism of action may be a critical factor in determining the efficacy of interferon‐beta in MS. This review will focus on select immunological mechanisms that are influenced by this type I cytokine.