Influence of Various Factors on Interferon-α Production in Cultures of Human Leukocytes

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Abstract
Inducer-specific gene loci and sex are known to play a role in the regulation of interferon-α (IFN-α) production in mice. Because little is known about the genetic control of the IFN-α system in man, we investigated the IFN-α production of 468 individuals by culturing peripheral blood with Newcastle disease virus (NDV) or Sendai virus (SDV). The IFN α release of different donors varied over a wide range. However, IFN-α production of 7 donors showed a donor-specific response over a period of 4 months, which led us to classify some donors as high and low responders. The amounts induced by NDV correlated positively to those induced by SDV. The donor's sex did not alter the IFN-α production significantly. The subjects were between 1 and 90 years in age. Highest IFN-α levels were obtained in children, followed by a gradual decline with age. Using a specific IFN-α-2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a bioassay, which detects all subtypes, our data showed that the net IFN-α production decreased with age. For further studies, we selected 17 low producers and 17 high producers. To analyze a possible influence of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on IFN-α production, the HLA genotypes of 13 low producers and 12 high producers were determined. Here, no correlation between high or low production and HLA genotype was detectable.