EVALUATION OF THE HUMAN INTERFERON SYSTEM IN VIRAL DISEASE

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 46  (3) , 475-483
Abstract
The interferon (IFN) system in man regulates viral replication, cell multiplication and immune fractions. Its action against viruses takes place in 2 stages. The 1st is the production of IFN by cells following stimulation by a variety of IFN inducers including viruses; the 2nd is the action of this IFN on other cells, inducing in them an antiviral state which prevents replication of infecting viruses. A series of assays is described which evaluates these different parameters of the antiviral IFN system. An attempt was made to correlate IFN production and cell response to IFN with clinical status. Healthy persons have little or no IFN in the blood (mean < 4 4 U/ml) and 94% of their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBC) are not in an antiviral state. Patients with acute viral diseases have significantly increased levels of IFN in their blood (mean 150 .+-. 284 U/ml) and 70% of their PBMC are in an antiviral state. In some seriously ill patients with viral disease, the IFN system was found to be functionally deficient and treatment with human leukocyte IFN rapidly changed this. Examination of several biological parameters of the IFN system, including the intracellular antiviral state induced by IFN, is thus, necessary to better evaluate this antiviral system. This will enable the clinician to obtain optimal pharmacokinetic information for determining which cases are most likely to respond to IFN therapy and help to monitor the efficacy of this treatment.