Efficacy of low-dose oral use of type I interferon in cytomegalovirus infections in vivo

Bosio, E., Beilharz, M.W., Watson, M.W.ORCID: 0000-0002-6438-9225 and Lawson, C.M. (1999) Efficacy of low-dose oral use of type I interferon in cytomegalovirus infections in vivo. Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research, 19 (8). pp. 869-876.

Abstract

Oral administration of type I interferons (IFNs; murine IFN-α and IFN- β) reduces early replication of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) in both the spleen and liver of MCMV-infected BALB/c mice. Examination of a range of doses of IFN (1 to 1000 IU) showed that 10 IU administered daily for 1 week prior to virus infection was optimal for inhibition of MCMV replication. Furthermore, low-dose orally administered IFN (10 IU/day) was effective in mice challenged with lethal and sublethal virus inocula. The antiviral efficacy of low-dose orally administered IFN was not restricted by either the route of virus inoculation or the mouse genotype. Analysis by immunohistochemistry of IFN-α receptor-bearing cells of the gastrointestinal tract revealed predominant staining of perivascular smooth muscle and the lamina propria of the anterior tongue, small intestine and rectum. These tissues, dense in IFN-α receptor-bearing cells, are likely to be the sites of interaction of the orally administered IFNs with the mucosal immune system. In conclusion, we propose that low-dose oral use of type I IFN therapy may have broad applications in the treatment of CMV infections.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
Publisher:	Mary Ann Liebert Inc.
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/17827

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