Interferons and the immune system

228 JIM03718 Snyderman, R. (ed.), Contemporary Topics in Immunobiology, Vol. 14, Regulation o[ Leukocyte Function, XIX + 410 pp. Plenum, New York and London. 1984. $55.00, ISBN 0-306-41585-2 Phagocytic leukocytes are readily available and can be rapidly purified in large numbers in what appears to be a relatively unmodified form. They can then be stimulated with a variety of agents to produce a multitude of different responses. These cells thus provide experimentalists with an excellent model system with which to explore stimulus response coupling in a number of different systems and in some cases to relate this to cellular physiology and pathophysiology. This volume is an excellent example of how these cells can serve as a suitable experimental model for investigators with widely differing interests. The editor's interest is reflected in the allocation of a sizable proportion of the book to the relationship between modulators such as chemoattractants, complement, immunoglobulins and arachidonic acid metabolites to receptor function and cell activation. Much of the remaining space is devoted to the consideration of the composition and function of the contents of the cytoplasmic granules and their release into phagocytic vacuoles and the extracellular environment. The different mechanisms by which microbes are killed by these cells and the clinical conditions associated with the failure of their normal functions are also covered. This balance of content is fairly representative of the activity of research into the different aspects of the cell biology of these leukocytes. The authors are all leading figures in their respective fields of investigation which has resulted in authoritative, up-to-date coverage of both the established knowledge of, and leading front of research into, the biology of these cells. This book provides a topical source of reference for the established investigator in the field and an excellent introduction to the someone wishing to become familiar with the function of these cells in particular or the application of cellular biology or biochemistry in general. It is likely to become rapidly outdated because so much of its content deals with current research, but until such time I heartily recommend it. A.W. SEGAL

JIM03727 Vil~ek, J. and E. De Maeyer (eds.), Interferons and the Immune System, XX + 268 pp. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1984. Dfl. 195.00, ISBN 0-444-80543-5 This is Vol. 2 of the multi-author 4-volume series 'Interferon' edited by N.B. Finter. In Vol. 1 a brief history of IFN research, I F N molecular structure, induction, biological properties and assay were described. Vol. 3 deals with IFN production

229 and mechanisms of action; Vol. 4 contains accounts of studies on in vivo antiviral and antitumour I F N effects in animals and in man. The text consists of 14 chapters each of which is devoted to IFN action in relation to a particular component of the immune system. In the introductory chapter E. De Maeyer surveys the basic knowledge of human IFN-a, -fl and -T- Chapter 2 by H. Kirchner and F. Marcucci describes the production of I F N by different subtypes of murine and human leukocytes. Induction conditions and the cell subpopulation producing a given IFN type are specified in each case. The effects of IFN on macrophage differentiation, morphology and functions are examined in detail by S.N. Vogel and R.M. Friedman in chapter 3. The role of IFN in regulating the cytotoxic activity of N K cells and influencing the differentiation and activation of cytolytic T-lymphocytes and of A D C C effectors is discussed by R.B. Herberman in chapter 4. The modulation of primary and secondary antibody responses by IFN in rodents and humans is the subject of chapter 5 by G. Sonnenfeld. The remaining chapters deal with the role of I F N in the early host defence against viral infections, the varied effects of IFN on delayed hypersensitivity and allograft rejection, the possible significance of I F N - a and anti-IFN antibodies in the pathogenesis of immunoregulatory disorders such as SLE or AIDS, the relationship of IFN to prostaglandins in inflammatory processes, the interactions between I F N and IL-2 in cytotoxic T-cell responses, the IFN-enhanced expression of cell-surface antigens, and the use of monoclonal antibodies in IFN assay and purification. The authors' general approach is to portray interferons in their natural milieu rather than regard them as tools of medical intervention. This is consistent with the fact that hitherto the main therapeutic uses of IFN-a, have been based on its direct antiviral and antitumour activities. The impact of I F N on the immune system, in contrast, is largely of theoretical interest though it also has practical implications as indicated in the text. The scope of the material presented is impressive. It includes the authors' own observations supplemented with information from a wide selection of references. A number of previously published findings have been updated, corrected, and integrated in a volume that will undoubtedly interest many biomedical investigators and perhaps encourage them to explore some still problematic aspects of the interferons. F. BOREK