title: Interferon alpha 2b treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2: modulation of natural killer cell.
abstract: The objective was to evaluate natural cytotoxicity of peripheral blood during interferon treatment in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 (CIN2), as index of interferon activity. Twenty-one patients with CIN2, histologically proven, were treated with interferon alpha 2b (Intron A, Sheering-Plough Corp.), in a dose of 3,000,000 units three times per week for 8 weeks self-administered by intramuscular injection. The rate of remission to the interferon treatment was 38.1%. Eight healthy patients had a significant increase in natural killer activity during and after the treatment (p < 0.001), whereas the 13 nonresponder patients remained with low values of natural killer activity. By analyzing the basal natural killer activity before the treatment, the patients with clinicopathologic remission had a significantly higher mean value than nonresponder patients (p = 0.007). Notwithstanding the specimen exiguity, the individual basal natural killer activity seems to be a predictive parameter of interferon treatment response in patients with CIN2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ancona University, Italy.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Garzetti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciavattini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romanini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goteri
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Tranquilli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muzzioli
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fabris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012074:Remission Induction; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins