Abstract
Treatment of C57Bl or BALB/C mice with human interferon-αA/D (HuIFN-αA/D) significantly increased hepatic levels of the DNA repair enzyme O 6-alkylguanine DNA alkyltransferase (AT). The maximum induction was seen 24 h after a single dose of 50–100 μg/kg IFN-αA/D. No induction was observed in rat liver hepatocytes cultured in vitro. Liver AT was also induced by poly(I: C), which is a potent IFN inducer. By increasing AT levels, IFN could protect against the potentially mutagenic alkylation at guanine O 6 position caused by some carcinogens. Moreover this finding suggests a link between immune response and the DNA repair system, possibly acting in concert to defend the body from potentially toxic compounds.
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