title: Alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine reduces poly I:C-induced augmenting interferon production and splenic natural killer cell activity in mice.
abstract: The present investigation was designed to extend our previous observations that alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (AMPT; an inhibitor of norepinephrine synthesis) reduced splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity and to test whether NK augmentation or augmenting interferon (IFN) production induced by polyriboinosinic acid:polyribocytidylic acid (poly I:C; an IFN inducer) can be attenuated by AMPT in mice. Therefore, in the current study, the effects of AMPT (300 mg/kg i.p.) on splenic NK activity or plasma titers of IFN-alpha+beta were assessed in inbred C57BL/6 mice. It was found that treatment with AMPT reduced both poly I:C induced serum IFN and splenic NK activity in a dose- and time-dependent manner. These results suggest that AMPT inhibits IFN production and decreases splenic NK activity in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007372:Interferons / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008781:Methyltyrosines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D019805:alpha-Methyltyrosine
chemical_list: D008781:Methyltyrosines; D019805:alpha-Methyltyrosine; D007372:Interferons; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D011070:Poly I-C; D009638:Norepinephrine