title: Immunomodulatory activity of low doses of interferon alpha,beta in mice.
abstract: We evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of mouse interferon (IFN) alpha, beta on the specific humoral response of mice (OF1) to sheep erythrocytes and on cell-mediated immunity by studying the cytotoxic activity of allospecific T-cells (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cells. Four injections of 2 IU of IFN before administration of the antigen did not have an effect on the humoral response, whereas 4 injections of 2 x 10(-10) IU of IFN caused a significant increase in the number of antibody-secreting cells. When C57BL/6 mice were treated with 5 injections of 2 IU or 2 x 10(-10) IU of IFN before the second immunization with allogeneic cells, the CTL activity was not modified; but when the mice were also treated with 2 x 10(-10) IU 3 times after immunization, this activity was strongly stimulated. IFN caused a decrease in the activity of CTL from NZB at both doses. The cytotoxic response of NK cells was stimulated by 5 injections of 2 IU of IFN in both strains of mice. The results of our study suggest that very low doses of IFN alpha,beta have immunopharmacologic activity.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Recherches en Immunologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Daurat
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dorfman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bastide
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007370:Interferon Type I