IFNA1 and inflammatory bowel disease: IFNs are well known for their roles in inducing antimicrobial (bacterial, fungal, viral) immune responses, but growing evidence demonstrates each family also distinctly affects gut homeostasis and inflammatory pathways.26–28 Recent reviews have focused attention on the latest findings for the roles of IFNs inhibiting pathogens at barrier sites29–31 and regulating IBD pathogenesis.32,33 This review will outline how gut microbiota and downstream metabolites directly and indirectly affect each IFN family and how this relates to gut health as related to IBD (fig.