title: Modulation of peripheral leukocyte counts in mice by oral administration of interferons.
abstract: The ability of interferons (IFN) to exert a systemic effect following their oral administration was evaluated. One systemic effect of parenteral interferon administration has been shown to be a suppression of the number of peripheral white blood cells both in man and in mouse models. Using the mouse model of peripheral white blood cell suppression, the relative systemic effects of orally and subcutaneously administered interferons were determined. Murine IFN-beta, murine IFN-gamma and cross-reactive recombinant human IFN-alpha A/D were examined. The oral administrations of each of the three interferons were found to cause a dose-dependent suppression of the peripheral white blood cell counts. Significant levels of suppression were seen with as little as 5 units/day of murine IFN-beta and with 500 units/day of recombinant human IFN-alpha A/D and murine IFN-gamma. The dose-response curves obtained with orally administered interferons were much more shallow than those obtained with subcutaneously administered interferons. The results demonstrate that oral administration of interferons can provide a significant systemic effect. Further, the results support the possibility that the oral administration of interferons may have therapeutic potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550.
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Fleischmann
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Stanton
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007372:Interferons / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007372:Interferons