Interferon regulatory factor 4: regulate and control of lymphocyte

Interferon regulatory factors(IRF)are key factors in interferon induction. IRF4, a member of the IRF family of transcription factors, is expressed in cells of the immune system where it transducers signals from various receptors to activate or repress gene expression. IRF4 expression is a key regulator for the development T helper cell subsets and B lymphocyte differentiation. A series of recent studies have further demonstrated critical functions for IRF4. This review focuses on the recent advances on roles of IRF4, including infection, autoimmune disease and immune malignancy. A better understanding of IRF4 will hopefully provide new biomark and potentially guide the design of novel therapeutic approaches. Key words: Interferon regulatory factor 4;  Transcription factor;  T helper cells;  B cells