title: Evaluation of the effects of human leukocyte IFN-alpha on the immune response to the HBV vaccine in healthy unvaccinated individuals.
abstract: HBV vaccine needs 3 injections over 6 months to induce immunity. Thus, the use of adjuvants capable of inducing earlier immune protection would be highly desirable. Most adjuvants may act by inducing cytokines, and among them, type I interferons (IFNs), deserve a special attention in view of the potent immunomostimulatory activity observed in mouse models and on dendritic cell functions. The aim of the present trial was to evaluate the effects of IFN-alpha administered as an adjuvant of HBV vaccine in healthy unvaccinated individuals. No significant enhancing effect on the antibody response was observed, in spite of an early and transient upregulation of costimulatory molecule expression on peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which may be suggestive of an IFN-mediated activation of antigen presenting cells. We conclude that, under the conditions used in this trial, natural IFN-alpha does not act as an adjuvant of the HBV vaccine in healthy unvaccinated individuals.
authors.affiliation: Section of Experimental Immunotherapy, Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161Rome, Italy. paola.rizza@iss.it
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rizza
authors.forename: Imerio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Capone
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Urbani
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montefiore
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rapicetta
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chionne
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Candido
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Tosti
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grimaldi
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palazzini
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Viscomi
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cursaro
authors.forename: Marzia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Margotti
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scuteri
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Andreone
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Elisabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Haygreen
authors.forename: David F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Tough
authors.forename: Persephone
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borrow
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Selleri
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castilletti
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capobianchi
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Belardelli
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma