In Vivo Interferon-γ Therapy Augments the In Vitro Ability of Chronic Granulomatous Disease Neutrophils to Damage Aspergillus Hyphae

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 163; no. 4; pp. 849 - 852
• Main Authors: Rex, John H., Bennett, John E., Gallin, John I., Malech, Harry L., DeCarlo, Ellen S., Melnick, David A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL University Chicago Press 01.04.1991; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Analysis of Variance; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antifungal agents; Aspergillus; Aspergillus fumigatus - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic granulomatous disease; Clinical trials; Double-Blind Method; Granulomatous Disease, Chronic - immunology; Granulomatous Disease, Chronic - therapy; Humans; Hyphae; Infections; Infectious diseases; Interferon-gamma - therapeutic use; Major Article; Medical sciences; Neutrophils; Neutrophils - immunology; Phagocytes; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Placebos; Recombinant Proteins; Viability; Human; Cytokine; Granulomatosis; Fungi; Aspergillus; Antifungal agent; Chronic; Treatment; Neutrophile; Immunotherapy; Fungi Imperfecti; Lesion; Thallophyta; Gamma interferon
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/163.4.849

During the recently completed double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of recombinant interferon-γ (rIFN-γ)therapy in chronic granulomatous disease (CGO), a metabolic assay of neutrophil damage to Aspergillus fumigatus hyphae was used to monitor neutrophil function before and during therapy. In this assay, 5 × 104 conidia that had germinated into hyphae were exposed to 5 × 105, 15 × 105, or 50 × 105 CGD neutrophils. By analysis of variance, neutrophils from patients on rIFN-γ were found to produce significantly more damage to hyphae than those from the placebo group (P < .01). In subgroup analysis, this effect was best seen in the hyphae exposed to 50 × 105 CGD neutrophils, where neutrophils from patients receiving rIFN-γ produced significantly more damage to the hyphae than those from the placebo group (P < .05). In vivo rIFN-γ therapy improves the ability of CGD neutrophils to damage Aspergillus fumigatus hyphae in an in vitro assay.