Biomaterial Database

Cortisol induction by poly ICLC: implications for clinical trials of interferon. 1988

C T Bever, and H F McFarland, and H B Levy, and D E McFarlin

Neuroimmunology Branch, National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20205.

Because interferon injections have recently been reported to induce cortisol in cancer patients, we retrospectively reviewed cortisol levels obtained during a preliminary trial of the interferon inducer polyriboinosinic polyribocytidylic acid in poly-L-lysine and carboxymethylcellulose (poly ICLC) in multiple sclerosis patients to determine if significant cortisol induction occurred. Analysis of data from 51 poly ICLC infusions in 6 men and 4 women showed elevated cortisol levels 4 to 16 hours after infusion, with hematological changes consistent with steroid effect. The highest cortisol levels observed were in 2 patients who improved during the treatment period, but there was no clear relationship between cortisol levels and clinical outcome in the group as a whole.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007369	Interferon Inducers	Agents that promote the production and release of interferons. They include mitogens, lipopolysaccharides, and the synthetic polymers Poly A-U and Poly I-C. Viruses, bacteria, and protozoa have been also known to induce interferons.	Inducers, Interferon
D007372	Interferons	Proteins secreted by vertebrate cells in response to a wide variety of inducers. They confer resistance against many different viruses, inhibit proliferation of normal and malignant cells, impede multiplication of intracellular parasites, enhance macrophage and granulocyte phagocytosis, augment natural killer cell activity, and show several other immunomodulatory functions.	Interferon
D008297	Male		Males
D008747	Methylcellulose	Methylester of cellulose. Methylcellulose is used as an emulsifying and suspending agent in cosmetics, pharmaceutics and the chemical industry. It is used therapeutically as a bulk laxative.	BFL,Celevac,Cellothyl,Cellulone,Citrucel,Cologel,Dacryolarmes,Methocel,Methyl Cellulose,Muciplasma,Cellulose, Methyl
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009103	Multiple Sclerosis	An autoimmune disorder mainly affecting young adults and characterized by destruction of myelin in the central nervous system. Pathologic findings include multiple sharply demarcated areas of demyelination throughout the white matter of the central nervous system. Clinical manifestations include visual loss, extra-ocular movement disorders, paresthesias, loss of sensation, weakness, dysarthria, spasticity, ataxia, and bladder dysfunction. The usual pattern is one of recurrent attacks followed by partial recovery (see MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, RELAPSING-REMITTING), but acute fulminating and chronic progressive forms (see MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, CHRONIC PROGRESSIVE) also occur. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p903)	MS (Multiple Sclerosis),Multiple Sclerosis, Acute Fulminating,Sclerosis, Disseminated,Disseminated Sclerosis,Sclerosis, Multiple
D011070	Poly I-C	Interferon inducer consisting of a synthetic, mismatched double-stranded RNA. The polymer is made of one strand each of polyinosinic acid and polycytidylic acid.	Poly(I-C),Poly(rI).Poly(rC),Polyinosinic-Polycytidylic Acid,Polyinosinic-Polycytidylic Acid (High MW),Polyriboinosinic-Polyribocytidylic Acid,Polyribose Inosin-Cytidil,Inosin-Cytidil, Polyribose,Poly I C,Polyinosinic Polycytidylic Acid,Polyriboinosinic Polyribocytidylic Acid,Polyribose Inosin Cytidil
D011107	Polylysine	A peptide which is a homopolymer of lysine.	Epsilon-Polylysine,Poly-(Alpha-L-Lysine),Epsilon Polylysine
D002266	Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium	A cellulose derivative which is a beta-(1,4)-D-glucopyranose polymer. It is used as a bulk laxative and as an emulsifier and thickener in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and as a stabilizer for reagents.	Carboxymethyl Cellulose,Carboxymethylcellulose,Aquacel,Aquaplast,Carmellose Sodium,Cellolax,Cethylose,Croscarmellose Sodium,Polycell,Ruspol,Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose,Carboxymethylcellulose, Sodium,Cellulose, Carboxymethyl,Sodium, Carboxymethylcellulose,Sodium, Carmellose,Sodium, Croscarmellose
D005260	Female		Females