ABSTRACT
Interferons have special significance to Recombinant DNA technology as prototype modifers of immune response. Isaacs and Lindenmann discovered interferon in 1956 while pursuing an interest in the phenomenon of viral interference. In 1966, low titer leukocyte interferon was administered to patients with acute leukemia by Falcoff et al. In 1975, Habif reported observations on intralesional interferon mediated effects in skin recurrences of breast cancer. Greenberg et al. indicated that interferon therapy could reduce DNA polymerase activity, as well as result in an improvement of liver function parameters. Attempts to manufacture interferon on a large scale were undertaken. Interest in additional types of interferons expanded. Separate exploration of the beta interferons needs to be undertaken in order to determine if they have a distinctly different spectrum of usefulness from the alpha interferons. Clinical trials with human gamma interferon produced in leukocyte cultures have recently gotten underway.
