title: The history of interferon and its use in animal therapy.
abstract: The history of the discovery and development of knowledge on interferon is reviewed in some depth. Although interferons have been considered a very exciting group of proteins for many years during which they were initially shown to have antiviral effects and lately immunomodulatory and immunoregulatory effects, attempts to use them in the therapy of animal and human disease have been disappointing. The initial problem was to obtain sufficient quantities of purified interferons for use in clinical trials. This was overcome in the 1980's by the use of biotechnological techniques which resulted in the synthesis of adequate amounts of interferons. While beneficial aspects of interferon therapy have been shown in a variety of experiments, both in animals and humans, the great potential for interferon treatment has yet to be achieved. In the body, interferon is produced in such small quantities as compared to the large quantities which have been normally used in therapy and it is well recognized that these proteins, the interferons, are particularly potent. A small group of scientists working from biological principles, originating from U.S.A. and are now being developed in Kenya, have found powerful beneficial effects when relatively low dose of IFN-alpha is applied orally to animals and humans, particularly for the treatment of AIDS and East Coast fever. It is now known that interferons are only a part of the cytokine network and indirect and direct effects of interferon can occur on cells to change their behaviour. Many of these effects are non-specific and have a general effect on the course of diseases which, hopefully, can be translated into effective broad spectrum therapy, for man and animals.
authors.affiliation: Overseas Development Administration of U.K.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cummins
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000266:history* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I