Interferon-γ and Management of Infectious Diseases
Authors: Steven M. Holland
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1996)

Letters15 June 1996Interferon-γ and Management of Infectious DiseasesSteven M. Holland, MD, Joshua M. Farber, MD, and John I. Gallin, MDSteven M. Holland, MDNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD 20189Search for more papers by this author, Joshua M. Farber, MDNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD 20189Search for more papers by this author, and John I. Gallin, MDNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD 20189Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-124-12-199606150-00016 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:We agree with Baier-Bitterlich and colleagues that the mechanism by which interferon-γ acts in the setting of chronic infections such as leishmaniasis or tuberculosis is complex and may not fit neatly into the TH1/TH2 paradigm. Feedback loops, such as that which includes prostaglandin E2, are known to be down-regulatory for the destruction of intracellular pathogens at the macrophage level and are overcome by pharmacologic interferon-γ administration [1]. Similarly, interleukin-6 has been shown to down-regulate macrophage tumor necrosis factor-α receptor levels and to antagonize the interferon-γ-induced up-regulation of tumor necrosis factor-α receptor levels [2]. The general finding, however, has ...References1. Edwards CK 3d, Hedegaard HB, Zlotnik A, Gangadharam PR, Johnston RB Jr, Pabst MJ. Chronic infection due to Mycobacterium intracellulare in mice: association with macrophage release of prostaglandin E2 and reversal by injection of indomethacin, muramyl dipeptide, or interferon-γ. J Immunol. 1986; 136:1820-7. Google Scholar2. Bermudez LE, Wu M, Petrofsky M, Young LS. Interleukin-6 antagonizes tumor necrosis factor-mediated mycobacteriostatic and mycobactericidal activities in macrophages. Infect Immunol. 1992; 60:4245-52. Google Scholar3. Carvalho EM, Barral A, Pedral-Sampiao D, Barral-Netto M, Rocha H, Johnson WD Jr. Immunologic markers of clinical evolution in children recently infected with Leishmania donovani chagasi. J Infect Dis. 1992; 165:535-40. Google Scholar4. Carvalho EM, Badaro R, Reed SG, Jones TC, Johnson WD Jr. Absence of γ interferon and interleukin 2 production during active visceral leishmaniasis. J Clin Invest. 1985; 76:2066-9. Google Scholar5. Gallin JI, Farber JM, Holland SM, Nutman TB. Interferon-γ in the management of infectious diseases. Ann Intern Med. 1995; 123:216-24. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Steven M. Holland, MD; Joshua M. Farber, MD; John I. Gallin, MDAffiliations: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD 20189 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 15 June 1996Volume 124, Issue 12Page: 1095-1096KeywordsAntigensInfectious diseasesIntracellular pathogensLeishmaniasisLymphocytesMacrophagesNecrosisParasitic diseasesProstaglandinTuberculosis ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 15 June 1996 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1996 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...