The capacity of blood lymphoid cells to produce alpha- and gamma-interferon is decreased during alpha-interferon therapy.

The influence of alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) therapy on the capacity of blood lymphoid cells to produce alpha- and gamma-interferon (IFN) was studied in 21 patients with gynecological tumors, i.e., ovarian carcinoma (14 patients) or condylomata accuminata (7 patients). The mean capacity of the lymphoid cells to produce alpha-IFN in response to Sendai virus was increased, although not statistically significant, as compared to an age- and sex-matched control group, whereas the mean capacity of the patients' blood lymphoid cells to produce gamma-IFN in response to PHA or PWM was slightly decreased as compared to the control group. One day after the first injection of alpha-IFN there was a statistically significant decrease in the capacity of blood lymphoid cells to produce alpha-IFN and this decrease remained after 3 months of IFN therapy in most patients investigated. One week after initiation of alpha-IFN therapy there was a statistically significant decrease in the capacity of the cells to produce gamma-IFN in response to PHA or PWM and in most patients studied this decrease remained after 3 months of treatment. We conclude that the capacity of blood lymphoid cells to produce IFN is suppressed during exogenous alpha-IFN therapy.