Interferon-induced transmembrane proteins (IFITMs) are broad spectrum antiviral factors that inhibit the entry of a wide range of clinically important pathogens including influenza A virus, HIV-1, and Dengue virus. IFITMs are thought to act primarily by antagonizing virus–cell membrane fusion in this regard. However, recent work on these proteins has uncovered novel post-entry viral restriction mechanisms. IFITMs are also increasingly thought to have a role regulating immune responses, including innate antiviral and inflammatory responses as well as adaptive T-cell and B-cell responses. Further, IFITMs may have pathological activities in cancer, wherein IFITM expression can be a marker of therapeutically resistant and aggressive disease courses. In this review, we summarize the respective literatures concerning these apparently diverse functions with a view to identifying common themes and potentially yielding a more unified understanding of IFITM biology.

干扰素诱导的跨膜蛋白 (IFITM) 是广谱抗病毒因子，可抑制多种临床重要病原体的进入，包括甲型流感病毒、HIV-1 和登革热病毒。在这方面，IFITM 被认为主要通过拮抗病毒-细胞膜融合来发挥作用。然而，最近对这些蛋白质的研究发现了新的病毒进入后限制机制。人们也越来越多地认为 IFITM 具有调节免疫反应的作用，包括先天抗病毒和炎症反应以及适应性 T 细胞和 B 细胞反应。此外，IFITM 可能在癌症中具有病理活性，其中 IFITM 表达可以是治疗耐药和侵袭性疾病过程的标志。在这篇评论中，