title: Antiviral effects of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha in combination with natural interferon-beta in mice infected with herpes simplex virus type 1.
abstract: The protective effects of combination therapy utilizing recombinant human TNF-alpha (rTNF-alpha) and natural murine interferon-beta (IFN-beta) in mice infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) was investigated. Mice treated with rTNF-alpha alone at all of the doses tested (a single i.v. administration, 2.3-2,300 micrograms/kg; multiple i.p. administrations 0.4-250 micrograms/kg) as well as mice that received IFN-beta alone at doses of 16 x 10(4) U/kg or less resulted in a 0% survival rate. Combination therapy consisting of a single administration of rTNF-alpha (230 and 23 micrograms/kg) and multiple administrations of IFN-beta (4 x 10(4) U/kg) resulted in a 40% and 60% survival rate. Multiple treatments of infected mice with rTNF-alpha (50 and 10 micrograms/kg) in combination with IFN-beta (4 x 10(4) U/kg) resulted in 50% and 70% survival rates, respectively. These results suggest that the combination therapy of rTNF and natural murine IFN-beta produce synergistic protective effects in mice infected with a lethal amount of HSV-1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-0882.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Pollard
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016899:Interferon-beta