title: Effect of interferon-alpha on measles virus replication in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
abstract: We analyzed the effect of exogenous human leukocyte interferon (IFN)-alpha on measles virus (MV) replication in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The release of infectious virus was progressively reduced by increasing concentrations of IFN-alpha, and blocked with an IFN-alpha concentration of 1000 U/ml. In order to detect a possible target of this inhibitory effect, viral transcription and translation events were analyzed. The synthesis of MV mRNAs was reduced, but not blocked, in the presence of IFN-alpha. However, this effect was not specific on the viral RNAs, but due to a general inhibition of RNA synthesis in IFN-treated PBMC. The expression of viral polypeptides was also inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by exogenous IFN-alpha, but a low level of protein synthesis was detected by both Western blotting and immunofluorescence techniques, even with the maximum amount of IFN-alpha used (1000 U/ml). These findings account for a partial maintenance of the viral replicative cycle, even when the production of infectious virus is blocked. Moreover, the effect of IFN-alpha is not specifically targeted on the virus macromolecular synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, University of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leopardi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hyypiä
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vainionpää
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000382:microbiology*; D008459:Measles virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000187:drug effects; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000187:drug effects; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins