ANTIPROLIFERATIVE EFFECTS OF RECOMBINANT ALPHA-INTERFERONS AND GAMMA-INTERFERONS ON CULTURED HUMAN KERATINOCYTES

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 51  (6) , 697-701
Abstract
To extend an initial observation that recombinant .gamma.-interferon induced expression of class II major (HLA-DR) on normal cultured human keratinocytes, the antiproliferative effects of recombinant .alpha.- and .gamma.-interferons were studied. Both interferons reduced the number of attached cells (dose range 10-103 U/ml; 7.1 .times. 10-11 to 7.1 x 10-9 M) and .gamma.-interferon was 100 times more potent than .alpha.. This effect did not require the presence of Langerhans cells. .gamma.-Interferon reduced total cell production during the 1st wk without increasing the percentage of cells shed. During the 2nd wk, .gamma.-interferon also increased the percentage of cell shedding. Although 102 U/ml of .gamma.-interferon was maximal for HLA-DR expression by cultured keratinocytes, there was increasing reduction of attached cells between 102-103 U/ml. The demonstration that recombinant .gamma.-interferon induces HLA-DR expression and also inhibits keratinocyte proliferation in vitro at nanomolar concentration expands the growing list of normal cells whose biologic function may be influenced by this lymphokine in vivo. [The involvement of immunologic alterations in a variety of common inflammatory, benign and malignant diseases that affect the skin are discussed.].