The in vitro and in vivo effect of recombinant interferon alpha-2a on circulating haemopoietic progenitors in polycythaemia vera.
In four patients with polycythaemia vera (PV) who received interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) (3 MU subcutaneously three times a week) for 5 months, peripheral blood levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units and erythroid burst-forming units were assessed monthly. Circulating progenitors significantly decreased throughout the treatment period. Moreover, we observed an inhibitory activity of IFN-alpha on haemopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) from patients with PV in vitro. The data presented confirm previous research which has shown an inhibitory effect of IFN-alpha on HPC from patients with myeloproliferative disorders. Significant improvement in the patients' clinical and haematological conditions should encourage larger studies on IFN-alpha administration in PV patients.
Castello
G
G
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Italy.
Lerza
R
R
Cerruti
A
A
Cavallini
D
D
Bogliolo
G
G
Pannacciulli
I
I
D000368:Aged; D015672:Erythroid Precursor Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011087:Polycythemia Vera / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins