title: Antiherpetic effects of a human alpha interferon analog, IFN-alpha Con1, in hamsters.
abstract: The efficacy of a novel consensus form of human alpha interferon designated IFN-alpha Con1 was evaluated against herpesvirus infections in vitro and in vivo. At comparable antiviral concentrations, natural lymphoblastoid IFN, IFN-alpha Con1, the molecular subtype IFN-alpha, and the hybrid IFN-alpha AD(Bgl) obtained by recombinant DNA methods conferred similar protection against herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 (HSV-2) infections of human cells in vitro. Whereas 7 X 10(5) U of IFN-alpha AD(Bgl) administered in 7 intraperitoneal (i.p.) doses between -4 and 96 h relative to infection protected 90% of mice from a lethal HSV-2 infection, a similar treatment regimen with IFN-alpha Con1 conferred no protection. Systemic HSV-2 infection of hamsters was rapidly lethal, but a single i.p. treatment with 10(6) U of either IFN-alpha Con1 or IFN-alpha AD(Bgl) was highly effective and protected 90 and 75% of animals, respectively, when given 6 h before infection; treatment with IFN-alpha Con1 protected 45% of animals when administered 10 h after infection. In addition, IFN-alpha Con1 was highly protective against acute cervicovaginal HSV-2 infection of hamsters when administered either in a single i.p. dose of 10(6) U at -6 or 10 h relative to infection or in multiple i.p. doses of 10(6) U between -6 and 120 h relative to infection. Protection was manifested by a delay in the onset of and a reduction in duration of infection, a reduction in the number of positive cervicovaginal infections, and an increase in the survival rate.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins