The antiproliferative and competitive binding activities of 20 purified components of human lymphoblastoid interferon (IFN)-alpha were compared with that of recombinant human IFN-alpha 2b on Daudi and AU937 cells. We observed broad ranges of antiproliferative activities of the IFN-alpha components on these cell lines. Daudi cells were more sensitive to the IFN-alpha components than AU937 cells;...

Gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-induced indoleamine dioxygenase (IDO), which inhibits chlamydial replication by reducing the availability of tryptophan, is up-regulated by interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). The mechanisms by which this occurs include an increase in the synthesis of interferon regulatory factor-1 as well as a nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB)-...

Modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) is a highly attenuated vaccinia virus strain undergoing clinical evaluation as a replication-deficient vaccine vector against various infections and tumor diseases. To analyze the basis of its high immunogenicity, we investigated the mechanism of how MVA induces type I interferon (IFN) responses. MVA stimulation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DC) sh...

The ability of alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) and IFN-gamma to inhibit transmission of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) from neuronal axon to epidermal cells (ECs), and subsequent spread in these cells was investigated in an in vitro dual-chamber model consisting of human fetal dorsal root ganglia (DRG) innervating autologous skin explants and compared with direct HSV-1 infection of epidermal ...

Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) regulates the growth, differentiation, and recirculation of normal and malignant B lymphocytes. In this report we examine the effects of IFN-alpha on the distribution of the cytoskeletal protein spectrin in peripheral blood B lymphocytes from normal donors and patients diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and hairy cell leukemia (HCL). Exposure of norma...

Chronic liver disease associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in hemophilia. We have used recombinant interferon alpha-2b (IFN alpha-2b) in a randomized controlled liver biopsy trial to treat hemophiliacs with chronic hepatitis. Eighteen patients entered the study, 16 of whom were subsequently shown to have antibodies to the HCV. All underwent li...

Behçet's disease (BD) and vitiligo are diseases of unknown etiology. Interferon (IFN) alpha therapy is commonly used in Behçet uveitis. Interferon treatment in various diseases have also been observed causing certain autoimmune diseases such as vitiligo because of its immunomodulatory activity. The association between IFN therapy and vitiligo has been reported in the literature. We report a 21-...

In vivo administration of escalation doses of recombinant alpha-interferon (IFN-alpha) during a phase I trial in malignant melanoma patients caused dose-dependent increases in the mRNA accumulation, synthesis, steady state cellular content, and plasma membrane expression of class I major histocompatibility complex molecules in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In addition, circulating levels ...

We have administered the cytokines interleukin 2 (IL-2), alpha-interferon (IFN-alpha), and gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma) to mice and measured the alterations in hepatic drug-metabolizing enzyme activities. For comparative purposes and to understand the mechanism of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis (DTP) vaccine-induced inhibition of drug metabolism, we also studied the effects of vac...

We investigated the effects of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) on the expression of cytokines by human bone marrow stromal cells. Production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), granulocyte-CSF (G-CSF), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) in stromal cell layers was induced by incubation with IL-1 alpha, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Addition of I...