EFFECTS OF RECOMBINANT HUMAN INTERFERONS ON RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS LYMPHOCYTES-B ACTIVATED BY EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS

  • 1 February 1987
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 14  (1) , 42-45
Abstract
We evaluated the effects of all 3 classes of recombinant human interferon (IFN) on Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection of purified B lymphocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). After EBV infection, RA B cells secreted more IgM and significantly more IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) than normal. Spontaneous (no EBV) proliferation, IgM, and IgM RF were also higher in RA. All 3 types of IFN inhibited dose dependently EBV induced B cell activation. In RA, however, higher doses of each class of IFN were necessary to obtain 50% inhibition. IFN.gamma. was most potent in normals and RA. Four IgM RF production IFN.gamma. was significantly more potent than IFN.alpha. and IFN.beta. in reducing the spontaneous activation of RA B cells, and a similar trend was seen in B cell proliferation. These findings are discussed in the context of ongoing clinical trials with IFN.gamma. in RA.

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