JOURNAL OF INTERFERON RESEARCH 12:195-198 (1992)
Mary
Ann
Liebert, Inc., Publishers
Interferon-ß Treatment Does Not Elevate Cortisol in Multiple Sclerosis ANTHONY T. REDER' and MARTIN T. LOWY2
ABSTRACT Interferons (IFN) are used to treat cancer and multiple sclerosis (MS). High doses of IFN elevate serum cortisol, which may indirectly affect the course of either of these diseases. IFN-induced elevation of serum cortisol could speed recovery from exacerbations of MS. We find that IFN-ß at 9 or 45 MU every other day does not elevate serum or urine cortisol in MS. Clinical effects of IFN-ß in MS are likely to be direct, and not mediated indirectly through alteration of serum cortisol levels.
INTRODUCTION and IFN-ß reduce the number of exacerbations in sclerosis (MS)."-21 The therapeutic mechanism of action responsible for the beneficial effects of IFNs in MS has been theorized to be (i) antiviral (in ref. 3), (ii) enhancement of natural killer cell (NK) function,(4) (iii) correction of deficient IFN secretion by immune cells/5' (iv) opposition or reversal of the effects of IFN-7,'6' and (v) enhancement of suppressor T-cell function.
Mary
Ann
Liebert, Inc., Publishers
Interferon-ß Treatment Does Not Elevate Cortisol in Multiple Sclerosis ANTHONY T. REDER' and MARTIN T. LOWY2
ABSTRACT Interferons (IFN) are used to treat cancer and multiple sclerosis (MS). High doses of IFN elevate serum cortisol, which may indirectly affect the course of either of these diseases. IFN-induced elevation of serum cortisol could speed recovery from exacerbations of MS. We find that IFN-ß at 9 or 45 MU every other day does not elevate serum or urine cortisol in MS. Clinical effects of IFN-ß in MS are likely to be direct, and not mediated indirectly through alteration of serum cortisol levels.
INTRODUCTION and IFN-ß reduce the number of exacerbations in sclerosis (MS)."-21 The therapeutic mechanism of action responsible for the beneficial effects of IFNs in MS has been theorized to be (i) antiviral (in ref. 3), (ii) enhancement of natural killer cell (NK) function,(4) (iii) correction of deficient IFN secretion by immune cells/5' (iv) opposition or reversal of the effects of IFN-7,'6' and (v) enhancement of suppressor T-cell function.
