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Human recombinant interferon-alpha2a and interferon-alphaA/D have different effects on bleomycin-induced lung injury
1Lung Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Institute of Pulmonology, Hadassah University Hospital and Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel. Neville@lung.hadassah.org.il
Respiration; International Review of Thoracic Diseases
|April 5, 2001
Summary
Interferon (IFN)-alpha2a exacerbated bleomycin-induced lung injury in mice, increasing inflammation and fibrosis. However, IFN-alphaA/D had no significant effect, indicating that IFN-alpha's impact on lung injury depends on the specific preparation.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Immunology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Bleomycin (Bleo)-induced lung injury in mice models pulmonary fibrosis, a condition with unclear pathogenesis involving inflammation and fibrosis.
- Interferon (IFN)-alpha, produced by macrophages, may influence fibrogenesis and T lymphocyte differentiation in pulmonary fibrosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of two recombinant interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) preparations, IFN-alphaA/D and IFN-alpha2a, on bleomycin-induced lung injury in C57BL/6 mice.
Main Methods:
- Mice received intratracheal bleomycin or saline, followed by daily intraperitoneal injections of either IFN-alphaA/D, IFN-alpha2a, or saline.
- Lung injury was assessed 14 days post-instillation via bronchoalveolar lavage cell counts, morphological injury index, image analysis of cellularity and fibrosis, and lung hydroxyproline content.
Main Results:
- IFN-alpha2a treatment significantly increased bronchoalveolar lavage lymphocytes, lung cellularity, and fibrosis fraction in bleomycin-treated mice.
- Conversely, IFN-alphaA/D treatment did not alter bleomycin-induced lung injury.
Conclusions:
- Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) can potentially worsen bleomycin-induced lung injury.
- The observed effect of IFN-alpha on lung injury is dependent on the specific preparation used, with IFN-alpha2a exacerbating injury while IFN-alphaA/D did not.
