Effect of alloferon on the cytotoxic activity of NK cells in patients with chronic Epstein-Barr virus infection


DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/epidem.2022.12.1.115-20

Rakityanskaya I.A., Ryabova T.S., Kalashnikova A.A.

1) City Polyclinic One Hundred and Twelve, Saint Petersburg, Russia; 2) S.M. Kirov Military Medical Academy, Saint Petersburg, Russia; 3) A.M. Nikiforov All-Russian Center of Emergency and Radiation Medicine, Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters (EMERCOM of Russia, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Objective. To study the effect of alloferon on the number of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA copies in saliva samples, the time course of changes in the content of natural killer (NK) cells and in the cytotoxic activity of killer cells in patients with chronic EBV infection (CEBVI) at 6 weeks after the end of therapy.
Subjects and methods. One hundred (69 females and 31 males) suffering from CEBVI were divided into 2 groups. Within 2 months, Group 1 patients (n = 70) received therapy with alloferon (9 subcutaneous injections of 1.0 mg every other day), Group 2 patients (n = 30) took valacyclovir (Valtrex). The EBV DNA level in the saliva samples was determined by the PCR method; the cytotoxic activity of NK cells was assessed by the spontaneous and induced expression of CD107a (LAMP, number of NK cells).
Results. At 6 weeks after the end of therapy, no EBV DNA was detected in 38 (54.28%) patients from Group 1 and in 9 (30.0%) from Group 2 (p = 0.001).
Conclusion. Alloferon has a pronounced effect on reducing the number of EBV DNA copies in the saliva samples, induces the expansion of NK cells and their cytotoxic activity in patients with CEBVI.

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About the Autors


Professor Irina A. Rakitуanskaya, MD, Clinical Immunologist; Immunology Consultant, City Outpatient Unit of Allergology, Immunology, and Clinical Transfusiology, City Polyclinic One Hundred and Twelve, Saint Petersburg, Russia; tat-akyla@inbox.ru; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2524-4602
Tatiana S. Rуabova, MD, Nephrologist; Associate Professor, Department of Nephrology and Efferent Therapy, S.M. Kirov Military Medical Academy; Consulting Cardiologist, Outpatient Unit of Allergology, Immunology, and Clinical Transfusiology, City Polyclinic One Hundred and Twelve, St. Petersburg, Russia; tita74@ mail.ru; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9543-9646
Anastasia A. Kalashnikova, Cand Biol. Sci., Senior Researcher, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, A.M. Nikiforov All-Russian Center of Emergency and Radiation Medicine, Russian Ministry for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters EMERCOM of Russia, St. Petersburg, Russia; petkova_nas@mail.ru; https://orcid.org /0000-0002-5338-0866


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