Radioiodinated recombinant human beta-interferon (rHuIFN beta Ser), with almost full (greater than 90%) biological activity, was used to study the binding of human beta-interferon to Daudi cells. Specific binding was not observed with less biologically active (less than or equal to 10%) radioiodinated interferon. The bound radioiodinated interferon was shown to compete with human beta-interfero...

Depression and suicide have been reported in association with multiple sclerosis (MS). Some studies show that interferon beta may increase the depression rate. We report a case of depression and suicidal ideation in coincidence with the start of increased doses of interferon beta-1a and their complete reversal following the drug withdrawal. The patient was a 21-year-old man with MS and no past ...

BACKGROUND Interferon beta-la and -1b have been increasingly used for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The most frequent systemic adverse effects are flu-like symptoms. Laboratory abnormalities include asymptomatic leukopenia and elevated hepatic transaminases. Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) refers to a spectrum of hematological disorders which can occur in different situations. Severa...

BACKGROUND The Evaluate Patient OutComes (EPOC) study assessed physician- and patient-reported outcomes in individuals with relapsing multiple sclerosis who switched directly from injectable disease-modifying therapy (iDMT; glatiramer acetate, intramuscular or subcutaneous interferon beta-1a, or interferon beta-1b) to once-daily, oral fingolimod. Post hoc analyses evaluated the impact of a swit...

BACKGROUND Interferon beta treatment is only partially effective in multiple sclerosis (MS) suggesting a potential role for adjunctive therapies. Retinoids can augment the clinical efficacy of type 1 interferons in patients with cancer. We reasoned that the same might hold in MS. Interferon beta-1b added to peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro partially reverses the CD8 suppressor cell d...

background: the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of monotherapy with interferon alpha-2b and combination therapy with interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin on chronic hepatitis c infection in thalassaemic patients. methods: in parallel group randomized, double blind, controlled trial, 32 thalassaemic patients with chronic hepatitis c infection completed the study. in a random fa...

celiac disease is characterized by a gluten-induced damage of the small bowel in sensitive individuals that may cause malabsorption. non-intestinal inflammatory diseases may trigger immunologic gluten intolerance in susceptible people and the hcv virus may be considered as a suitable candidate. interferon therapy could precipitate symptom onset in subjects with silent celiac disease. in fact, s...

In this issue of HEPATOLOGY, Ikeda et al.1 describe use of long-term maintenance therapy with beta-interferon to prevent recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after surgical resection or alcohol ablation of primary HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). Twenty patients, 10 per group, were randomly assigned to either beta-interferon or no treatment after potentially curative su...