Skin reactions to interferon inoculations are reduced but not abolished by purification

Diazepam ablates the constitutional side-effects of gamma interferon

Unpleasant constitutional side-effects such as fever, rigors and sweating are commonly associated with the administration of interferons [Billiau A, Burke D C, Morris A G (eds): Interferons: from Molecular Biopsy to Clinical Application, p. 225. London & New York, Cambridge University Press (1983)]. We report here on two patients with metastatic renal carcinoma in whom oral diazepam given prior to the administration of gamma interferon ablated sweating and rigors and reduced the fever. Such an observation has not been reported previously.

Studies on safety problem by skin tests using human beta interferon preparation

Skin reactivities to human fibroblast-derived interferon (HuIFN-beta) preparation were studied in 20 healthy subjects in order to establish a method that detects hypersensitivity to the preparation. In response to intracutaneous injection of 0.02 ml of a 3 X 10(6) international reference units (IU)/ml of HuIFN-beta, the subjects developed immediate wheal-and-erythema type cutaneous reactions followed by erythemas maximum in diameter at 12 and 48 h. The immediate reactions were macroscopically similar to those observed in IgE-mediated cutaneous allergic reactions were macroscopically similar to those observed in IgE-mediated cutaneous allergic reactions elicited by intradermal injection of allergens. Little or no such reactions occurred with test solutions in concentration of less than 2 X 10(5) IU/ml and with solutions containing proteins of bovine origin, possible contaminants of the proteins in the preparation. These results suggest that the immediate cutaneous response to the solution of 3 X 10(6) IU/ml of HuIFN-beta is an essentially nonspecific reaction to HuIFN-beta or substances intimately associated with HuIFN-beta. For prediction of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity, a skin test with a solution containing HuIFN-beta in concentration of less than 2 X 10(5) IU/ml seems to be applicable. A test with a solution containing neonatal calf serum in concentration of 10-100 micrograms/ml may also be necessary as well as with the HuIFN-beta preparation.

Toxicity of interferon

The effects of partially purified human leucocyte interferon (PIF) and of a preparation purified by passage twice through a monoclonal antibody affinity chromatography column (NK21F) were compared with those of a control solution in healhty volunteers. After intramuscular injections both interferon preparations caused rises in pulse rate and body temperature, changes in circulating white cell counts, and various unpleasant symptoms, the most common of which were headache, malaise, and fever. Slightly lower doses of NK21F were given, and this was reflected in lower peak serum concentrations. Mean symptom scores, however, were not lower after NK21F than after PIF. Local inflammatory reactions eight hours after intradermal inoculations of these interferons were similar. Purification of interferon using a monoclonal antibody does not reduce the facets of its activity considered in this study. They are therefore inherent in the leucocyte interferon type selected by the antibody.