Modulation of interferon synthesis with the drugs applied in bronchial asthma

Investigations were carried out on 28 patients with nonatopic bronchial asthma treated with glycocorticosteroids or antibiotics and on 15 patients with atopic bronchial asthma treated with Alavac S vaccine. Leukocytes isolated from these patients by the method of Mogensen and Cantell were induced with Newcastle disease virus for interferon production, IFN was tested in the culture of human fibroblasts (HAT). The production of leukocytic IFN in glycocorticosteroids- and antibiotics-treated patients was shown to increase. On the contrary, the leukocytes from the patients 3 months treated with Alavac S exhibited suppressed production of the interferon.