Abstract

Oncostatin M (OSM), a member of the interleukin-6 family, possesses various functions, including hepatocyte differentiation and suppression of melanoma cell growth. Here, we report anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) activity of OSM as a new function of this cytokine. OSM possessed marked anti-HCV activity (50% effective concentration: 0.71 ng/ml) in an HCV RNA replication cell culture system. The most striking finding is that OSM exhibited synergistic inhibitory activity on interferon (IFN)-α even at a low concentration with weak anti-HCV activity, such as 25 pg/ml. OSM is a candidate anti-HCV reagent and may improve the current IFN therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.