title: Chicken interferon types I and II enhance synergistically the antiviral state and nitric oxide secretion.
abstract: This report shows that chicken type I and type II interferons (IFNs), like their mammalian counterparts, act synergistically such that a mixture of the two has much greater activity than that expected from the separate contribution of each type. The degree of antiviral synergy was measured by virus plaque reduction and cytopathic effect (CPE) inhibition in both primary and secondary chicken embryo cell cultures. Mixtures of the two Ch-IFNs produced antiviral effects 3-10 times greater than that expected from strict additivity of each IFN acting alone. At high concentrations of IFN mixtures there was a qualitative shift to an exponential IFN action does-response curve that revealed synergistic effects greater than 100-fold. Synergy resulted even with mixtures containing less than 1 U/ml of either type of Ch-IFN. The antiviral effects developed more rapidly with mixtures than when type I or II Ch-IFN was used alone. Mixtures of the two types of Ch-IFN synergistically potentiated nitric oxide secretion in cells of the HD11 chicken macrophage line. Molecular mechanisms are cited that may account for synergy between type I and type II IFNs, and speculation is offered on the epidemiologic and therapeutic implications of synergy in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs 06269-3044, USA. sekellick@biotek.mcb.uconn.edu
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sekellick
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lowenthal
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: O'Neil
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Marcus
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004357:Drug Synergism; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D014721:Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007370:Interferon Type I; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma