Interferons contribute to antiviral defense by which mechanism?

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Multiple Choice

Interferons contribute to antiviral defense by which mechanism?

Interferons create an antiviral state in neighboring cells. When a cell detects a viral infection, it releases interferons that bind to receptors on nearby cells and trigger a response that slows viral replication and makes those cells more resistant to infection. This includes upregulating antiviral proteins that inhibit viral protein synthesis and degrade viral RNA, as well as increasing MHC class I expression to enhance immune recognition. Interferons don’t directly kill infected cells—that role falls to cytotoxic T cells and NK cells—and they’re not primarily chemotactic for neutrophils nor the main driver of antibody class switching. So the described mechanism—slowing replication and increasing resistance in other cells—best captures how interferons defend against viruses.

Interferons create an antiviral state in neighboring cells. When a cell detects a viral infection, it releases interferons that bind to receptors on nearby cells and trigger a response that slows viral replication and makes those cells more resistant to infection. This includes upregulating antiviral proteins that inhibit viral protein synthesis and degrade viral RNA, as well as increasing MHC class I expression to enhance immune recognition. Interferons don’t directly kill infected cells—that role falls to cytotoxic T cells and NK cells—and they’re not primarily chemotactic for neutrophils nor the main driver of antibody class switching. So the described mechanism—slowing replication and increasing resistance in other cells—best captures how interferons defend against viruses.

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