Nuclear protein IRF-1 (interferon regulatory factor 1) was earlier shown to bind to cis-acting regulatory elements present on interferon (IFN)-alpha/beta genes and some IFN-inducible genes. Here we show that in both human FS-4 and murine L929 cells, steady-state levels of IRF-1 mRNA were increased by treatment with tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin 1 (IL-1), poly(I).poly(C), or IFN-beta....

Viral infections induce exacerbations of asthma. One of the earliest host responses to viral infections is the production of innate cytokines including type I interferons (IFNs), such as IFN-beta, which may act to modify airway inflammation. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether IFN-beta modifies the eosinophil adhesion-inducing activity of endothelial cells. Human umbil...

Interferon beta-1a is available as an immunomodulating agent for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Common side effects include flu-like symptoms, asthenia, anorexia, and administration site reaction. Kidney disorders are rarely reported. In this study we describe the case of a woman who has been undergoing treatment with interferon beta-1a for multiple sclerosis for 5 years. She developed ...

BACKGROUND Recombinant interferon treatment can result in several common side effects including fever and injection-site pain. Patients are often advised to use acetaminophen or other over-the-counter pain medications as needed. Little is known regarding the transcriptional changes induced by such co-administration. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We tested whether the administration of acetam...

2-mercapto-1(beta-4-pyridethyl)benzimidazole (MPB) inhibited the development of antiviral activity induced by interferon in chick cells. The MPB effect was reversed by washing the cells. The action of MPB was on a step immediately following interferon binding but before the cellular RNA and protein synthesis that appear to be required for interferon action. The step blocked by MPB possibly invo...

There are two types of interferon (IFN), as you know already, and the interferon which we are interested in for this syndrome is type 1 IFN, specifically the alpha type. Interferons are proteins produced by the host in response to viral infection. Interferon alpha and beta(type I) are not normally detected in blood of healthy people, but they are found mostly in different specimens of patients ...

The antiproliferative effect of human fibroblast interferon (IFN-beta), human recombinant leukocyte interferon (IFN-alpha A), and polyinosinic . polycytidylic acid [poly(I) . poly(C)] was investigated in human colon carcinoma cell line HT-29. Exposure of HT-29 cells for 1 to 3 days with 100 to 2000 units of either interferon preparation resulted in a 30 to 50% inhibition of growth after 3 days....

The VP35 protein of Ebola virus is a viral antagonist of interferon. It acts to block virus or double-stranded RNA-mediated activation of interferon regulatory factor 3, a transcription factor that facilitates the expression of interferon and interferon-stimulated genes. In this report, we show that the VP35 protein is also able to inhibit the antiviral response induced by alpha interferon. Thi...

We have generated mice lacking the gene for beta interferon and report that they are highly susceptible to vaccinia virus infection. Furthermore, in cultured embryo fibroblasts, viral induction of alpha interferon and of 2-5A synthetase genes is impaired. We also show that beta interferon does not prime its own expression.

OBJECTIVE To examine the hypothesis that increases in depression after initiation of treatment with interferon beta-1a for multiple sclerosis can be explained as representing a return to pretreatment levels of depression. DESIGN Level of depression in patients with multiple sclerosis was assessed at 3 time points: 2 weeks before initiation of interferon beta-la treatment, at initiation of tre...