See Also: interferon-alpha 2a(medicine)
alpha interferon(medicine)
interferon-alpha(medicine)
interferon-alpha 2b(medicine)
Alpha interferon(health)
Herbal medicine (botanical medicine, herbology, phytomedicine)(health)
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alpha-hydroxymethyl-alpha'-(N-acetylaminomethylene)succinic acid hydrolase(medicine)
5 beta-cholestane-3 alpha,7 alpha-diol 26-hydroxylase(medicine)
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interferon-alpha (medicine)


interferon-alpha
<cytokine> One of the type I interferons produced by peripheral blood leukocytes or lymphoblastoid cells when exposed to live or inactivated virus, double-stranded RNA, or bacterial products.

It is the major interferon produced by virus-induced leukocyte cultures and, in addition to its pronounced antiviral activity, causes activation of NK cells. It is used experimentally in the treatment of hairy-cell leukaemia.

A number of different subtypes exist that are elaborated by leukocytes in response to viral infection or stimulation with double-stranded RNA; IFN-alpha-2A and -2B are protein products made by recombinant DNA techniques and are used as antineoplastic agents.

See: interferon-alpha 2a, interferon-alpha 2b

Synonym: leukocyte interferon.

Pharmacological action: antineoplastic agent, antiviral agent.