title: Alpha-interferon enhances gamma-interferon production of peripheral blood mononuclear cells pre-activated with phytohemagglutinin.
abstract: The question of whether the state of T cell activation is responsible for gamma-interferon production in response to alpha-interferon was determined. When peripheral blood mononuclear cells were pre-incubated with phytohemagglutinin for 3 days, their gamma-interferon production was found to be augmented by alpha-interferon, accompanied by an increased proportion of DR-positive T cells. This did not occur with fresh cells. The effect was dose-dependent and inhibited by anti-alpha-interferon antibody. Therefore, alpha-interferon was considered to enhance the production of gamma-interferon of pre-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells but not of resting ones. In conclusion, alpha-interferon augmented the production of gamma-interferon of peripheral blood mononuclear cells only when they had already been activated, suggesting a role of alpha-interferon as a modulator of the cellular immune response.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takehara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fusamoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamada
mesh_terms: D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000502:physiology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D007371:Interferon-gamma