Inhibitory Effect of Interferon-α on Respiratory Burst and Glucose Metabolism in Phagocytic Cells

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Abstract
Anion Superoxide (O−2) production and glucose metabolism was studied in murine macrophages following in vivo or in vitro treatment with human recombinant interferon-α2b (IFN-α2b). The PMA-dependent O−2 production was inhibited by IFN-α2b in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. NO−2 production by macrophages in culture was slightly inhibited (about 16%) at 30 nM IFN-α and a clear decrease (35%) was obtained with 150 nM IFN-α. Low doses (0.3 and 3 nM IFN-α) had no effect. Also, IFN-α2b inhibited lactate release and 3H2O production from [2-3H] and [3-3H]glucose in macrophages isolated after in vivo treatment for 24 h. The data support an inhibitory role of IFN-α in the metabolic activation of macrophages and suggest a putative mechanism for the inhibition of some macrophage functions as previously reported.