interferon
[in″ter-fēr´on] any of a family of glycoprotein
biological response modifiers used as antineoplastic
agents and
immunoregulators; they inhibit cellular growth, alter the state of cellular differentiation, have effects on the cell cycle, interfere with oncogene expression, alter cell surface antigen expression, have effects on antibody production, and regulate cytotoxic effector cells.
interferon-α the major interferon produced by virus-induced leukocyte cultures; its primary producer cells are null cells, and its major activities are antiviral activity and activation of NK cells.
interferon alfa-2b a synthetic form of interferon-α produced by recombinant technology that acts as a
biologic response modifier, used in the treatment of
veneral warts, hepatitis B, and chronic hepatitis C and as an antineoplastic in the treatment of
hairy cell leukemia,
malignant melanoma,
non-Hodgkin's lymphomas,
multiple myeloma,
mycosis fungoides, and AIDS-related
Kaposi's sarcoma; administered intramuscularly, subcutaneously, or intralesionally.
interferon alfacon-1 a synthetic interferon related to both α and β interferons, produced by recombinant DNA technology; used in the treatment of chronic
hepatitis C virus infection, administered subcutaneously.
interferon alfa-n3 a highly purified mixture of natural human interferon proteins that acts as a
biologic response modifier; used in the treatment of
venereal warts, administered intralesionally.
interferon-β the major interferon produced by double-stranded RNA-induced fibroblast cultures; the major producer cells are
fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and
macrophages, and its major activity is antiviral.
interferon beta-1a a synthetic form of interferon-β produced by recombinant DNA techniques that acts as a
biologic response modifier; used in the treatment of relapsing forms of
multiple sclerosis; administered intramuscularly.
interferon beta-1b a synthetic modified form of interferon-β produced by recombinant DNA techniques; used as a
biologic response modifier in the treatment of relapsing forms of
multiple sclerosis; administered subcutaneously.
interferon-γ the major interferon produced by lymphocyte cultures that have been immunologically stimulated by mitogens or antigens; the major producer cells are
T lymphocytes, and its major activity is
immunoregulation.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.