Abstract
A nine year-old girl with juvenile laryngeal papillomatosis (JLP) was treated with systemic administration of alpha-type interferon (IFN-α), and was investigated the immunological response to IFN-α.
The patient had the onset of the disease under two years of age, and was of agressive type with frequent recurrence.
The initial dosage of IFN-α, 1×106 units (alternate day), or 3×106 units (every day), and maintenance dosage of it, 1×106 units (weekly or two times a week), were given to the patient.
Results were as follows.
1. Clinical effects: The patient had no recurrence of the disease for three months laryngoscopically, and was markedly improved in speaking without hoarseness.
2. Immunological effects: IFN-α in vivo inhibited the proliferative response of lymphocytes to mitogens and decreased immunoglobulin secreting cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes on the initialdosage of 3×106 units, IFN-α (every day).
Furthermore, we showed that the addition of IFN-α to the culture in vivo gave the effects on the proliferative response of lmyphocytes to mitogen and immunoglobulin synthesis.
These results indicated that IFN-α should be used in vivo with caution, since it gave various effects on the immune functions.
