Oligo-2',5'-adenylate synthetase activity in peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes in various diseases

Interferon induces oligo-2',5'-adenylate synthetase in cells. In various diseases, interferon was detectable in the circulation or was produced spontaneously from peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes. The oligo-2',5'-adenylate synthetase activity in peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes was examined in various diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, sarcoidosis, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease, and Behcet's disease. The activity of this enzyme was significantly increased in systemic lupus erythematosus (P less than 0.01), sarcoidosis (P less than 0.01), and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (P less than 0.01) compared with that in controls, but the increase of activity was not significant in Behcet's disease (P greater than 0.05).