Ingested interferon-alpha has biological effects in rheumatoid arthritis

We determined the safety, clinical effects on joint disease and potential m odulation of proinflammatory cytokine secretion in subjects with rheumatoid arthritis in an open label pilot phase 1 study with ingested human recombi nant interferon (hrIFN)-alpha. Patients with clinically stable rheumatoid a rthritis underwent complete rheumatologic examination, routine blood tests and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMNC) CD3-induced interleukin (IL)- 1 beta, IL-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha secretion before e ntry to the trial and after 8 weeks (exit) of 30,000 units of hrIFN-alpha i ngested q.o.d. ingested hrIFN-alpha was not toxic as measured by routine bl ood chemistries. Overall, of the 24 possible clinical and laboratory diseas e indices measured in four patients, 14 improved by at least 20% and four w orsened by 20%. Those that worsened were ail from the same patient. Ingeste d IFN-alpha significantly decreased PMNC CD3-induced IL-1 and demonstrated a decreased trend in IL-6 and IL-8 secretion, There were no consistent alte rations of CD3-induced secretion of TNF-alpha Early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with ingested IFN-alpha is nontoxic and reduces the secretion of IL-1, a proinflammatory cytokine.