Immunoregulatory effects of interferon-alpha. I. Interferon-alpha inhibits in vitro antibody synthesis by normal human lymphocytes.

The effects of human interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) on in vitro synthesis of specific anti-influenza virus antibody were measured in cultures of peripheral blood lymphocytes from normal donors. IFN-alpha suppressed antibody synthesis in a time and dose related manner. This suppression was also produced by monoclonal antibody purified IFN-alpha and was blocked by anti-IFN-alpha antibody. However antibody induced by a combination of antigen and 'B cell helper supernatant' was not suppressed indicating that IFN-alpha inhibits the initial events in antibody synthesis but does not affect cells committed to antibody production.