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Lethality of interferon preparations for newborn mice

Abstract

WE have previously reported that the daily subcutaneous inoculation of newborn mice with mouse brain interferon preparations was not accompanied by any discernible effect on their growth or development1. Far more potent interferon preparations have been shown to inhibit cell division in normal adult mice. Thus, the multiplication of allogeneic spleen and syngeneic bone marrow cells was inhibited when injected into X-irradiated adult mice treated for several days with potent interferon preparations2, and liver regeneration was inhibited in partially hepatectomised adult mice treated with interferon3. We report here that daily injection of potent interferon preparations results in the death of newborn mice. To our knowledge this is the first report of untoward effects associated with interferon treatment of the normal animal. These results may be relevant to the use of interferon in man.

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GRESSER, I., TOVEY, M., MAURY, C. et al. Lethality of interferon preparations for newborn mice. Nature 258, 76–78 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/258076a0

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