Search results for "Interferon"

A randomized controlled trial of high-dose maintenance interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C

1997

In chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, the rate of sustained response to interferon is low. We evaluated, in patients responding to a 26-week course of interferon, the effect of high-dose maintenance therapy in preventing relapse. Three hundred and ten patients with chronic HCV infection (38.3% with cirrhosis, 80.6% with HCV type 1) received interferon alfa-2b for 26 weeks (10 MU tiw for 8 weeks, then 5 MU tiw for 18 weeks). One hundred and twenty-four subjects (40%) normalized aminotransferases, and were allocated randomly either to continue on 5 MU tiw for a further 26 weeks (prolonged therapy group: 60 patients) or to stop interferon (brief therapy group: 64 patients). Fifty-two w…

FibroTest is an independent predictor of virologic response in chronic hepatitis C patients retreated with pegylated interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin…

2011

Background & Aims EPIC-3 is a prospective, international study that has demonstrated the efficacy of PEG-IFN alfa-2b plus weight-based ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C and significant fibrosis who previously failed any interferon–alfa/ribavirin therapy. The aim of the present study was to assess FibroTest (FT), a validated non-invasive marker of fibrosis in treatment-naive patients, as a possible alternative to biopsy as the baseline predictor of subsequent early virologic (EVR) and sustained virologic response (SVR) in previously treated patients. Methods Of 2312 patients enrolled, 1459 had an available baseline FT, biopsy, and complete data. Uni- (UV) and multi-variable (MV)…

IFN-? in Candida albicans infections

2009

The dimorphic fungus Candida albicans is the most frequent etiologic agent that causes opportunistic infections called candidiasis, a disease whose systemic manifestation could prove fatal and whose incidence is increasing as a result of an expanding immunocompromised population. Here we review the role of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in the host protection against invasive candidiasis. This cytokine plays an essential role in both the innate and adaptive arms of the immune response to candidiasis. We focus on recent progress on host-pathogen interactions at the molecular level, leading to the production of IFN-gamma by host cells. IFN-gamma is produced by CD4 Th1, CD8, gamma delta T, and n…

Different effects of interferons, interleukin‐1β and tumor necrosis factor‐α in normal (OSE) and malignant human ovarian epithelial cells

1996

Ovarian cancer arises mostly from the ovarian surface epithelium. The aim of our study was to compare the effects of cytokines in ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) cells and in ovarian carcinoma cells. Proliferation and expression of surface antigens (CA-125 and classes I and II antigens of the major histocompatibility complex [MHC]) were measured in OSE cells obtained from 7 different patients and 7 ovarian carcinoma cell lines. Proliferation of OSE cells remained unaffected by interferon (IFN)-α or IFN-γ, whereas interleukin-I (IL-I) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) increased cell growth. Proliferation of ovarian carcinoma cells was reduced by both types of IFN as well as TNF but was not af…

Modeling cost-effectiveness and health gains of a “universal” versus “prioritized” hepatitis C virus treatment policy in a real-life cohort

2017

We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of two alternative direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment policies in a real-life cohort of hepatitis C virus–infected patients: policy 1, “universal,” treat all patients, regardless of fibrosis stage; policy 2, treat only “prioritized” patients, delay treatment of the remaining patients until reaching stage F3. A liver disease progression Markov model, which used a lifetime horizon and health care system perspective, was applied to the PITER cohort (representative of Italian hepatitis C virus–infected patients in care). Specifically, 8,125 patients naive to DAA treatment, without clinical, sociodemographic, or insurance restrictions, were us…

A Novel Approach to Identify Candidate Prognostic Factors for Hepatitis C Treatment Response Integrating Clinical and Viral Genetic Data

2015

The combined therapy of pegylated interferon (IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) has been for a long time the standard treatment for patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). In the case of genotype 1, only 38%–48% of patients have a positive response to the combined treatment. In previous studies, viral genetic information has been occasionally included as a predictor. Here, we consider viral genetic variation in addition to 11 clinical and 19 viral populations and evolutionary parameters to identify candidate baseline prognostic factors that could be involved in the treatment outcome. We obtained potential prognostic models for HCV subtypes la and lb in combination as well as separately. We …

Interferon therapy: the other face of the medal. Ann Ital Med Int. 2004;19(1):5-7.

2004

DEVELOPMENT AND QUALIFICATION OF BIOANALYTICAL METHODS FOR DEAMIDATED IFNβ-1a AND INVESTIGATION ABOUT THE MECHANISM OF ACTION

2021

Interferon beta-1a (IFNβ-1a) is a recombinant IFNβ with the tradename Rebif involved in several biological activities. Recently, it has been reported that artificial deamidation of IFNb-1a increases its biological response. Given the therapeutical potential, an investigation on the deamidated variant has been carried out via different approaches to discover the mechanism underlying this biological effect. The antiviral and immunomodulatory activity of deamidated cytokine was assessed using two precise and accurate cell-based assays. As expected, deamidated IFNβ-1a showed an increase in the biological response and its canonical pathway and receptor binding affinity were thorough analysed. De…

Rekombinanta hepatīta B vīrusa core antigēna imunoloģiski pētījumi; imunizētu dzīvnieku imunogenitātes novērtējums

2015

Darba mērķis bija noteikt HBcAg- ietvertas 63 nukleotīdus garas ODN sekvences ietekmi uz organisma imūno atbildes veidošanos un imunogenitāti, salīdzināt iegūtos rezultātus ar kontroles proteīniem – HBcAg un HBcAg- (proteīns, kam izņemta dabiskā E.coli NS, kas rodas ekspresijas laikā). No imunizētām BALB/c laboratorijas pelēm tika iegūti asins serumi un orgānu (liesa, limfmezgli) šūnu kultūras. Tika noteikta un salīdzināta proteīnu spēja inducēt antivielu sintēzi, šūnu kultūru proliferācijas indeksi 96 stundas pēc restimulācijas ar HBcAg- in vitro, CD4+ un CD8+ šūnu subpopulāciju pieaugums un savstarpējā skaita attiecība. Izmantojot komerciālus testus tika noteikta arī liesu šūnu kultūru su…

Role of Type I and II Interferons in Colorectal Cancer and Melanoma

2017

Cancer can be considered an aberrant organ with a hierarchical composition of different cell populations. The tumor microenvironment, including the immune cells and related cytokines, is crucial during all the steps of tumor development. In particular, type I and II interferons are involved in a plethora of mechanisms that regulate immune responses in cancer, thus balancing immune escape versus immune surveillance. Interferons are involved in both the direct and indirect regulation of cancer cell proliferation and metastatic potential. The mutational background of genes involved in interferons signaling could serve as a prognostic biomarker and a powerful tool to screen cancer patients elig…