Leukocyte Interferon-α-n3 Inhibits Influenza A Viral Replication in Human Alveolar Epithelial A549 Cells

Jingqun Ma,Yuekun Lang

doi:10.4172/jaa.1000125

Abstract

The emergence of the drug-resistant Influenza A strains including the antiviral resistant 2009 pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) highlighted this urgent need to develop new antiviral strategies for protecting against infection of Influenza virus. Type I interferon including interferon alpha and beta (IFN-α/β) produced by host cells in response to the presence of pathogens, plays a critical role in viral pathogen clearance during infection. In this study we determined the effect of Alferon N Injection® (a natural interferon alpha product derived from human leukocytes, IFN-α-n3) on the Influenza A virus including pH1N1 virus isolated from pigs, Avian H9N2 and Swine H3N2 viruses in human alveolar epithelial A549 cells. The results showed that IFN-α-n3 is able to inhibit replication of these three Influenza A viruses in human alveolar epithelial cells, indicating that IFN-α-n3 may be useful in treating Influenza clinically.

Highlights

The 2009 flu pandemic did not cause the high mortality rates as predicated in June, 2009 when the world health organization (WHO) declared the first pandemic in 41 years, the outbreak reminded us that Influenza remains a major infectious disease and public health challenge
To examine the effect of IFN-α-n3 on the pandemic H1N1 virus (pH1N1), Avian H9N2 and Swine H3N2 virus replication, we studied different concentrations of IFN-α-n3 treating human alveolar epithelial A549 cells (ATCC, CCL-185) which were infected with respective viruses at the indicted multiplicity of infection (MOI), respectively
The results showed that all tested doses of IFN-α-n3 could not efficiently inhibit Avian H9N2 Hong Kong/ G1/1997 (HK97) and Swine H3N2 Texas/4199-2/98 virus (TX98) virus replication in human alveolar epithelial A549 cells prior to 4 hours treatment

Summary

Introduction

The 2009 flu pandemic did not cause the high mortality rates as predicated in June, 2009 when the world health organization (WHO) declared the first pandemic in 41 years, the outbreak reminded us that Influenza remains a major infectious disease and public health challenge. To examine the effect of IFN-α-n3 on the pH1N1, Avian H9N2 and Swine H3N2 virus replication, we studied different concentrations of IFN-α-n3 treating human alveolar epithelial A549 cells (ATCC, CCL-185) which were infected with respective viruses at the indicted multiplicity of infection (MOI), respectively.

Results

Conclusion