干扰素（interferons，IFN）是一类重要的细胞因子，具有多种抗病毒和免疫调节等作用。根据其结构特点、受体、细胞来源和生物学活性，可分为Ⅰ型、Ⅱ型和Ⅲ型。IFN通过与其特异性受体结合，通过一个复杂且部分重叠的基因转录过程来发挥作用，其核苷酸多态性和基因突变可影响IFN反应及对病毒感染的敏感性。几乎所有的病毒都有抵抗IFN抗病毒活性的机制和效力，包括直接影响IFN产生和影响下游效应因子。不同型别IFN在行使抗病毒或免疫调节功能时具有拮抗或协同作用。本文就IFN基因变异、病毒抗IFN策略及IFN之间的协同/拮抗作用进行综述，以期能更好地理解IFN的抗病毒作用。

Interferons (IFNs) are key cytokines with multifaceted antiviral and immunoregulatory properties. Three distinct types of IFN are recognized (I–III) based on structural features, receptor, cellular source and biological activities. The action of IFNs is mediated by a complex, partially overlapping, transcriptional program initiated by the interaction with specific receptors. Genetic diversity, with polymorphisms and mutations, can modulate the extent of IFN responses and the susceptibility to infections. Almost all viruses developed mechanisms to subvert the IFN response, involving both IFN induction and downstream effector mechanisms. Interactions between IFN types may occur, for both antiviral and immunoregulatory effects, in a complex interplay, involving both synergistic and antagonistic effects. In this paper, the aspects of IFN genetic diversity, viral strategies to counteract the IFN and synergistic and antagonistic interactions between IFN types are reviewed, in order to better understand the antiviral effect of interferon.