EFFECTS OF POLYNUCLEOTIDES ON MONKEYS AND MAN

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1989. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

EFFECTS OF POLYNUCLEOTIDES ON MONKEYS AND MAN

Dev Med Virol; 4:319-31 1988. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/89649864
Levy HB; Molecular Virology Section, Natl. Inst. of Allergy and Infectious; Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20982

Abstract: Preclinical studies of polynucleotide use in rodents, immune modulating effects of polynucleotides in primates, including man, and clinical studies with various polynucleotides are reviewed. The clinical studies described employed polyadenylic:polyuridylic acid, in the adjuvant treatment of operable breast cancer, and polyICLC (derived from polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid by complexing the double-stranded RNA with polylysine and carboxymethylcellulose), in the treatment of juvenile laryngopapilloma and multiple sclerosis. Ampligen, a hydrolyzable duplex of polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid, is also briefly considered. PolyICLC has several activities in primates, including man. In addition to inducing the synthesis of significant quantities of interferon (IFN), it enhances natural killer cell and macrophage activity, increases the ratio of T helper to T suppressor cells, and augments antibody formation to a number of antigens. The cell-associated immune enhancing actions occur maximally at low doses of the drug, where side effects are very mild. There are three different disease situations in which the use of polyICLC has potential: (1) for the treatment of viral diseases in which IFN probably plays a major role, the use of 3-4 mg/m2 is indicated; (2) for the treatment of cancer, where immune modulation may play a major role, low levels of the agent given im should be studied; and (3) for the treatment of AIDS, the effects of low doses should be assessed. (25 Refs)

Keywords: Animal Carboxymethylcellulose/THERAPEUTIC USE Human Interferon Inducers/*THERAPEUTIC USE Leukocyte Count/DRUG EFFECTS Neoplasms/IMMUNOLOGY/*THERAPY Neoplasms, Experimental/IMMUNOLOGY/*THERAPY Poly A-U/THERAPEUTIC USE Poly I-C/THERAPEUTIC USE Polylysine/THERAPEUTIC USE Polynucleotides/*THERAPEUTIC USE Polyribonucleotides/THERAPEUTIC USE JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW REVIEW, TUTORIAL

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