alpha-Interferon (IFN-alpha) induced unique ultrastructural alterations in peripheral blood and splenic hairy cell leukemia (HCL) cells (14 of 20 cases) treated in vitro. To further investigate the effects of B-cell growth factor (BCGF) and IFN-alpha on target hairy cells (HCs), we utilized immunogold labeling in conjunction with scanning electron microscopy. This methodology, in contrast to ot...

Interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy improves prognosis in Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Polyethylene glycol (PEG) attached to IFN-alpha prolongs its half-life and may offer better therapy. The aims of this phase 1 study were to define the maximal tolerated dose (MTD), dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), and response with PEG IFN-alpha-2b. Twenty-seven a...

Human alpha interferon (IFN) significantly inhibits the replication of herpes simplex virus type 1 in human neuroblastoma cells. This inhibitory effect can be blocked by pretreatment with antiserum to IFN. We observed no significant differences in the expression of major nucleocapsid proteins, including VP5, between IFN-treated and untreated neuroblastoma cells. Electron micrographs demonstrate...

Viral infections stimulate the transcription of interferon type I, which includes IFN-alfa (IFN-alpha) (13 subtypes) and IFN-beta (a single substance). Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is remarkable by its ability to evade host antiviral defenses; however, there is little information as to whether endogenous IFN is activated or not in this disease. Additionally, despite the fact that the vario...

Interferon (IFN)-alpha treatment is a common therapy for chronic viral hepatitis and contributes to preventing hepatocarcinogenesis. However, it is not clear whether IFN-alpha directly inhibits the clonal expansion of pre-neoplastic hepatocytes. To clarify the mechanism by which IFN-alpha prevents hepatocarcinogenesis, we examined the effect of IFN-alpha in a chemically induced hepatocarcinogen...

Dendritic cells (DCs) respond to microbial infections by undergoing phenotypic maturation and by producing multiple cytokines. In the present study, we analyzed the ability of influenza A and Sendai viruses to induce DC maturation and activate tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), alpha/beta interferon (IFN-alpha/beta), and IFN-like interleukin-28A/B (IFN-lambda2/3) and IL-29 (IFN-lambda1) g...

Antigens and infectious agents that stimulate interferon alpha(IFN-alpha) production in mice induce antibody responses that are predominantly of the immunoglobulin (Ig)G2a isotype and contain little or no IgE. This suggested the possibility that IFN-alpha might have a role in directing Ig isotype selection. Consistent with this possibility, we have found that injection of mice with recombinant ...

A 42-year-old male patient, who had been on colchicine therapy for familial mediterranean fever admitted with dyspnea on exertion. He had a history of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) administration. The chest X-ray showed diffuse distribution of reticulonodular opacities in both lungs. A computerized tomography scan of the lungs revealed mediastinal and bilateral hilar lymphadenopathies, transluce...

BACKGROUND More than 50% of hepatitis C viruses (HCV)-infected patients do not respond to the classical Interferon (IFN)/Ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of retreatment with Peg-Interferon alpha-2b (PEG-IFN alpha-2b) plus RBV, in patients with HCV, genotypes 1 or 3, who were non-responders to the previous standard treatment with IFN/RBV. ...

We describe a patient with the so-called "prolymphocytic variant" form of hairy cell leukemia (HCL) resistant to treatment with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha). Analysis of immunoglobulin (Ig) and T-cell receptor-beta (TCR beta) gene rearrangements from serial peripheral blood mononuclear cell specimens (MNCs) confirmed not only the B-cell nature of the disease, but also the subsequent emergence o...