The capacity of interferon-gamma to regulate the generation and release of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) from human alveolar macrophages ofnormal nonsmoking individuals was evaluated. When alveolar macrophages were incubated for 60 min with heat aggregated IgG (HAIgG), they generated and released 5.7±1.7 ng ofLT B4 per 106 cells compared to 1.9±0.4 ng from cells incubated with buffer alone, P = 0.02. W...

Although acetylsalicylic acid does not itself induce interferon, acetylsalicylic acid was found to significantly enhance the production of both human alpha interferon and human gamma interferon when added with the appropriate inducers to cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The mechanisms associated with this effect were investigated.

Interferon-alpha (IFN-α) therapy has been associated with de novo development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We report a 48-year woman with chronic hepatitis C, who developed low grade fever, joint aches and pains, painful mouth ulcers, shortness of breath, dry cough and pleuritic chest pain after 2 months of completion of treatment with pegylated interferon-alpha. These clinical manife...

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.

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infects hepatocytes, the major cell type of the liver. Infection of the liver may be either transient or chronic. The prognosis for patients with chronic HDV infection is poor, with a high risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The best antiviral therapy is weekly administration for at least one year of high doses of interferon alpha. This efficacy of interf...