# Interferon alpha receptor (IFNAR1)

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/ifnar1/  
OnCo record `ifnar1` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

The receptor through which interferon alpha alerts immune cells and slows tumour growth. Interferon was one of the first immunotherapies, used in melanoma, hairy cell leukaemia and chronic myeloid leukaemia, and has largely given way to targeted drugs and checkpoint inhibitors.

## Summary

IFNAR1 pairs with IFNAR2 to form the receptor for all type I interferons; binding activates JAK1 and TYK2 and the STAT1 and STAT2 transcription factors that induce antiviral, antiproliferative and immune-stimulating genes. Recombinant interferon alfa-2b was approved for hairy cell leukaemia in 1986, then for melanoma, follicular lymphoma, Kaposi sarcoma and chronic myeloid leukaemia, but flu-like symptoms, depression and modest benefit meant that cladribine, imatinib, rituximab and checkpoint inhibitors replaced it. Pegylated interferon remains useful in myeloproliferative neoplasms, and endogenous type I interferon signalling within tumours predicts response to immunotherapy.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-04
- Symbol: IFNAR1
- Class: other
- Biology: Subunit of the type I interferon receptor signalling through JAK1, TYK2 and STAT1/STAT2 to induce interferon-stimulated genes.
- Where found: Immune and tumour cells broadly; historic indications in melanoma, hairy cell leukaemia, CML and Kaposi sarcoma

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IFNAR1
- UniProt P17181: IFNAR1: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P17181/entry

## Connected records

- cancers: [Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)](https://onco.cc/cancers/cml/), [Hairy cell leukaemia](https://onco.cc/cancers/hairy-cell-leukemia/), [Melanoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/melanoma/)
- drugs: [Interferon alfa-2a/2b](https://onco.cc/drugs/interferon-alfa/), [Peginterferon alfa-2b](https://onco.cc/drugs/peginterferon-alfa-2b/)
- key papers: [Darnell, Kerr and Stark 1994: JAK-STAT pathways and transcriptional activation by interferons](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-darnell-jak-stat-science-1994/)

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