ISSN:
1432-1440
Keywords:
Interferon-α2c
;
Immunogenicity
;
Antibody induction
;
Arginine
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary In order to study the long-term immunogenicity of interferon-α2c (Berofor) in cancer patients, serum was collected starting in 1983 from study patients with various proliferative diseases who received interferon-α2c at different doses, according to different schedules, and via different routes. A total of 1992 samples were tested for the presence of anti-interferon-α2c antibodies. Due to long-term interferon-α2c treatment, 346 patients were eligible for induction of neutralizing anti-interferon antibodies over a treatment period of 252 months. Most patients were treated for longer than 6 months. Of the 346 patients, three patients (0.87%) exhibited measurable titers of neutralizing antibodies following therapy with interferon-α2c. One hundred and sixty-three patients suffered from non-Hodgkin lymphomas, leukemias, and preleukemias. One patient with chronic myeloid leukemia experienced antibody induction under therapy. The other 183 patients had solid tumors. Two of them reacted with antibody production. All titers were very low (1:12, 1:8, and 1:64). Compared with figures reported for other interferon-α preparations, the propensity of interferon-α2c to induce neutralizing antibodies seems to be very low. This property might be related to arginines occurring as critical residues in positions 23 and 34 of the interferon-α2c molecule.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00227355
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