Influence of interferon on the functional and structural changes of central nervous system from the viewpoints of aging and gender

临床研究：在PEG-IFN/利巴韦林治疗的慢性丙型肝炎患者中，男性比女性更常见神经精神症状（失眠、情绪差和抑郁状态）。年龄和性别与持续病毒应答无关。抑郁自评量表（SDS）评分在治疗期间加重，PDG-PET扫描显示全脑葡萄糖代谢（CMRglu）呈下降趋势，但治疗后SDS评分和CMRglu均恢复至治疗前水平。然而，两个参数之间没有关系。实验研究：体外培养的人星形胶质细胞可检测到两种IFN受体（IFN-R1和R2）的表达。IFNα2a和α2b的生理相关浓度（i.例如，2 IU/ml）均能抑制INF受体的表达，并显著降低人星形胶质细胞的增殖。相反，IFN-β不影响星形胶质细胞增殖。IFN-α处理抑制Glut-1表达，导致葡萄糖消耗减少。这些效应部分与细胞因子（如白细胞介素-8）的改变有关。

Clinical study : Among the patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with PEG-IFN/Ribavirin, the neuropsychiatric symptoms(insomnia, poor mood and depressive state) appeared more commonly in males than females. The age and sex were not associated with the sustained viral response. The self-rating depression scale(SDS) points worsened during the treatment and PDG-PET scan revealed a tendency of decreased cerebral glucose metabolism(CMRglu) in the entire brain regions, However, SDS points and CMRglu returned to pre-treatment values after the therapy. However, no relationship was seen between two parameters. Experimental study : The expressions of both IFN receptors(IFN-R1 and R2) were detectable in the cultured human astrocytes. A physiologically-relevant concentrations of IFNα2a and α2b(i. e., 2 IU/ml) both inhibited the expression of the INF receptors and significantly decreased the proliferation of human astrocytes. In contrast, IFN-β did not affect astrocyte proliferation. IFN-α treatment inhibited the Glut-1 expression, resulting in deceased glucose consumption. These effects were associated, in part, with the alterations in cytokines such as interleukin-8.