Human IFN-epsilon Antibody

Interferon-epsilon (IFNe) is a type I interferon with expression limited to the brain, lung, intestine and reproductive tract. It has been proposed that unlike other type I interferons, IFNe plays a role in mucosal immunity and protects against pathogens including chlamidia, HIV and herpes simplex virus 2. Its expression is upregulated by TNF alpha. Unlike other type-1 interferons, IFNe is also hormonally regulated, and mouse and human IFNe have been shown to have a binding site in their promoters for progesterone receptor. Epithelial cells isolated from uterine endometrium have higher IFNee expression in the proliferative phase, when estrogen levels are highest. IFNe is the only IFN isoform constituitively expressed in HeLa cells.