| HGNC Family | Interferons (IFN) |
| Name | interferon, kappa |
| Description | This gene encodes a member of the type I interferon family. Type I interferons are a group of related glycoproteins that play an important role in host defenses against viral infections. This protein is expressed in keratinocytes and the gene is found on chromosome 9, adjacent to the type I interferon cluster. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008] |
| Summary |
{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Interferon‐κ (IFN‐κ), a unique type I interferon predominantly expressed by keratinocytes, plays a pivotal role in cutaneous innate immunity. Genetic and pharmacogenomic studies have implicated the IFNK locus in modulating immune responses, as evidenced by its association with treatment outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (via anti‐TNF therapy)."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " In the context of viral infections, particularly those caused by high‐risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs), IFN‐κ functions as a key antiviral mediator. Several studies have demonstrated that HPV oncoproteins—such as E6 and E2—suppress IFN‐κ expression in infected keratinocytes, thereby weakening the antiviral state and facilitating viral persistence."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_fs", "start_ref": "2", "end_ref": "4"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Restoration of IFN‐κ levels in these cells triggers downstream interferon‐stimulated genes (for example, Sp100), leading to inhibition of viral transcription and replication. Beyond its antiviral properties, dysregulation of IFN‐κ has been linked to several inflammatory skin disorders. Elevated or aberrant IFN‐κ activity contributes to the type I interferon signature observed in systemic lupus erythematosus"}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "5"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "and psoriasis"}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "6"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ", while in cutaneous lupus erythematosus IFN‐κ acts as a critical mediator driving enhanced interferon responses and photosensitivity."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "7"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Moreover, recent work has shown that in the early phases of wound repair IFN‐κ upregulation in keratinocytes promotes inflammation, collagen deposition, and reepithelialization; its exogenous administration can improve tissue repair in diabetic wounds."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "8"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Collectively, these findings highlight IFN‐κ’s central roles in antiviral defense, immune regulation, and tissue homeostasis in the skin. Continued elucidation of the mechanisms that regulate IFN‐κ expression and activity may provide novel therapeutic avenues for HPV‐associated malignancies, autoimmune dermatoses, and impaired wound healing.\n "}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Chunyu Liu, Franak Batliwalla, Wentian Li, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Genome-wide association scan identifies candidate polymorphisms associated with differential response to anti-TNF treatment in rheumatoid arthritis."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Mol Med (2008)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.2119/2008-00056.Liu"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.2119/2008-00056.Liu"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "18615156"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18615156"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Bladimiro Rincon-Orozco, Gordana Halec, Simone Rosenberger, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Epigenetic silencing of interferon-kappa in human papillomavirus type 16-positive cells."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cancer Res (2009)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-09-0550"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-09-0550"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "19887612"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19887612"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nuchsupha Sunthamala, Francoise Thierry, Sebastien Teissier, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "E2 proteins of high risk human papillomaviruses down-modulate STING and IFN-κ transcription in keratinocytes."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "PLoS One (2014)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1371/journal.pone.0091473"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0091473"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "24614210"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24614210"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 4, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Christina Habiger, Günter Jäger, Michael Walter, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Interferon Kappa Inhibits Human Papillomavirus 31 Transcription by Inducing Sp100 Proteins."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Virol (2015)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1128/JVI.02137-15"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.02137-15"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "26491169"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26491169"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 5, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Isaac T W Harley, Timothy B Niewold, Rebecca M Stormont, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "The role of genetic variation near interferon-kappa in systemic lupus erythematosus."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Biomed Biotechnol (2010)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1155/2010/706825"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/706825"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "20706608"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20706608"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 6, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Yuanyuan Li, Yueqi Song, Leqing Zhu, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Interferon Kappa Is Up-Regulated in Psoriasis and It Up-Regulates Psoriasis-Associated Cytokines in vivo."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol (2019)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.2147/CCID.S218243"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S218243"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "31819584"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31819584"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 7, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Mrinal K Sarkar, Grace A Hile, Lam C Tsoi, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Photosensitivity and type I IFN responses in cutaneous lupus are driven by epidermal-derived interferon kappa."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Ann Rheum Dis (2018)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-213197"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-213197"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "30021804"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30021804"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 8, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Sonya J Wolf, Christopher O Audu, Amrita Joshi, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "IFN-κ is critical for normal wound repair and is decreased in diabetic wounds."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "JCI Insight (2022)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1172/jci.insight.152765"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.152765"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "35358091"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35358091"}]}]}]}
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| Synonyms | INFE1, IFNT1 |
| Proteins | IFNK_HUMAN |
| NCBI Gene ID | 56832 |
| API | |
| Download Associations | |
| Predicted Functions |
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| Co-expressed Genes |
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| Expression in Tissues and Cell Lines |
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IFNK has 2,634 functional associations with biological entities spanning 8 categories (molecular profile, organism, functional term, phrase or reference, disease, phenotype or trait, chemical, structural feature, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA) extracted from 75 datasets.
Click the + buttons to view associations for IFNK from the datasets below.
If available, associations are ranked by standardized value
| Dataset | Summary | |
|---|---|---|
| Achilles Cell Line Gene Essentiality Profiles | cell lines with fitness changed by IFNK gene knockdown relative to other cell lines from the Achilles Cell Line Gene Essentiality Profiles dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of IFNK gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles | tissue samples with high or low expression of IFNK gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray | tissue samples with high or low expression of IFNK gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray dataset. | |
| BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low expression of IFNK gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low expression of IFNK gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of IFNK gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of IFNK gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles | transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of IFNK gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of IFNK gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 | transcription factors binding the promoter of IFNK gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 dataset. | |
| CM4AI KOLF21J CRISPRi Gene Perturbation Atlas | gene perturbations changing expression of IFNK gene from the CM4AI KOLF21J CRISPRi Gene Perturbation Atlas dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores | cellular components containing IFNK protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 | cellular components co-occuring with IFNK protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of IFNK gene relative to other cell lines from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles | cell lines with IFNK gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset. | |
| CTD Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with IFNK gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency | cell lines with fitness changed by IFNK gene knockdown relative to other cell lines from the DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency dataset. | |
| DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 | diseases associated with IFNK gene in GWAS datasets from the DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores | diseases co-occuring with IFNK gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 | diseases co-occuring with IFNK gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with IFNK gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| DisGeNET Gene-Phenotype Associations | phenotypes associated with IFNK gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Phenoptype Associations dataset. | |
| ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles | histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at IFNK gene from the ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles | transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of IFNK gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of IFNK gene in ChIP-seq datasets from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells | PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing IFNK from the ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells dataset. | |
| GAD Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with IFNK gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with IFNK gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations | biological terms co-occuring with IFNK gene in literature-supported statements describing functions of genes from the GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations dataset. | |
| GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures | PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing IFNK from the GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases | disease perturbations changing expression of IFNK gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of IFNK gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules | small molecule perturbations changing expression of IFNK gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections | virus perturbations changing expression of IFNK gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 | biological processes involving IFNK gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 | biological processes involving IFNK gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2025 | biological processes involving IFNK gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations2025 dataset. | |
| GO Cellular Component Annotations 2015 | cellular components containing IFNK protein from the curated GO Cellular Component Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 | molecular functions performed by IFNK gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2023 | molecular functions performed by IFNK gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2023 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2025 | molecular functions performed by IFNK gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2025 dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of IFNK gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 | tissues with high or low expression of IFNK gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 dataset. | |
| GWAS Catalog SNP-Phenotype Associations 2025 | phenotypes associated with IFNK gene in GWAS datasets from the GWAS Catalog SNP-Phenotype Associations 2025 dataset. | |
| GWASdb SNP-Phenotype Associations | phenotypes associated with IFNK gene in GWAS datasets from the GWASdb SNP-Phenotype Associations dataset. | |
| Heiser et al., PNAS, 2011 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of IFNK gene relative to other cell lines from the Heiser et al., PNAS, 2011 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HuGE Navigator Gene-Phenotype Associations | phenotypes associated with IFNK gene by text-mining GWAS publications from the HuGE Navigator Gene-Phenotype Associations dataset. | |
| IMPC Knockout Mouse Phenotypes | phenotypes of mice caused by IFNK gene knockout from the IMPC Knockout Mouse Phenotypes dataset. | |
| InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations | protein domains predicted for IFNK protein from the InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets 2025 | transcription factors regulating expression of IFNK gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Mouse Transcription Factor Targets 2025 | transcription factors regulating expression of IFNK gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Mouse Transcription Factor Targets 2025 dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of IFNK gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| KEGG Pathways | pathways involving IFNK protein from the KEGG Pathways dataset. | |
| KEGG Pathways 2026 | pathways involving IFNK protein from the KEGG Pathways 2026 dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of IFNK gene relative to other cell lines from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| KnockTF Gene Expression Profiles with Transcription Factor Perturbations | transcription factor perturbations changing expression of IFNK gene from the KnockTF Gene Expression Profiles with Transcription Factor Perturbations dataset. | |
| LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations | cellular components predicted to contain IFNK protein from the LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations dataset. | |
| MGI Mouse Phenotype Associations 2023 | phenotypes of transgenic mice caused by IFNK gene mutations from the MGI Mouse Phenotype Associations 2023 dataset. | |
| MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of IFNK gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of IFNK gene from the PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Mouse Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of IFNK gene from the PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2023 | pathways involving IFNK protein from the PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2023 dataset. | |
| PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2024 | pathways involving IFNK protein from the Wikipathways PFOCR 2024 dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles | histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at IFNK gene from the Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset. | |
| Rummagene Transcription Factor Associations 2026 | transcription factors regulating expression of IFNK gene from the Rummagene Transcription Factor Associations 2026 dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures | drug perturbations changing expression of IFNK gene from the RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of IFNK gene from the RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| Tabula Sapiens Gene-Cell Associations | cell types with high or low expression of IFNK gene relative to other cell types from the Tabula Sapiens Gene-Cell Associations dataset. | |
| TargetScan Predicted Conserved microRNA Targets | microRNAs regulating expression of IFNK gene predicted using conserved miRNA seed sequences from the TargetScan Predicted Conserved microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets | microRNAs regulating expression of IFNK gene predicted using nonconserved miRNA seed sequences from the TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors | tissue samples with high or low expression of IFNK gene relative to other tissue samples from the TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors dataset. | |
| TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues co-occuring with IFNK protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues co-occuring with IFNK protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| WikiPathways Pathways 2024 | pathways involving IFNK protein from the WikiPathways Pathways 2024 dataset. | |
