Changes in immune function in patients receiving natural leukocyte interferon

Highly purified human lymphoblastoid interferon derived from virus-stimulated Namalwa cells was administered daily by 6-h i.v. infusion or i.m. injection to 40 patients with a variety of disseminated malignancies refractory to standard therapy. Each patient received escalating doses of 0.1-50 X 10(6) U for up to 5 weeks. Extensive monitoring for changes in various immune functions revealed no sustained elevation in natural killer cell activity, elevated monocyte-mediated antitumor cytostatic activity in approximately 30% of the patients, and depressed lymphoproliferative responses to mitogens and mixed leukocyte culture.