Abstract
Interferon-α (IFN-α) is known to inhibit both DNA and RNA viruses, including hepatitis B virus (HBV). In humans the antiviral effect, if any, of IFN-α on hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is complicated by the fact that HDV is spread only to patients already infected with HBV. An in vitro model system was used to assay for an antiviral effect of IFN-α on HDV genome replication. Hep G2 cells were transfected with a plasmid containing a trimer of HDV and treated with IFN (20 or 100 units/mL) starting 1-7 days after transfection. RNA extracted from treated and nontreated cells was assayed by both slot blot and Northern analyses. The IFN-α treatment as expected increased the 2′-5′ oligo A synthetase RNA activity, but it did not affect HDV genome replication. Thus, in the absence of HBV, it appears that HDV is resistant to IFN-α.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1164-1166 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| Volume | 166 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 1992 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Received II March 1992; revised 3 June 1992. Grant support: Binational Science Foundation of the United States and Israel (to R.T.K.). Reprints or correspondence: R. Tur-Kaspa, Division ofMedicine. Hadassah University Hospital. 91120 Jerusalem. Israel.
Funding
Received II March 1992; revised 3 June 1992. Grant support: Binational Science Foundation of the United States and Israel (to R.T.K.). Reprints or correspondence: R. Tur-Kaspa, Division ofMedicine. Hadassah University Hospital. 91120 Jerusalem. Israel.
| Funders |
|---|
| United States - Israel Binational Science Foundation |
