Possible Interaction: Interferon-Alpha and Tretinoin

“Based on more extensive results … the combination of other retinoids … interferon alfa , the present study attempted to determine the response rate, response duration, and safety of bexarotene (Targretin capsules, Ligand Pharmaceuticals, … Diego, Calif) alone and then with the addition of interferon alfa‐2b (Intron‐A, Schering‐Plough, Kenilworth, NJ).”

“ Retinoids and interferon alpha have shown synergistic activity against metastatic renal cell carcinoma in previous preclinical and clinical studies.”

“A variety of retinoic acid derivatives have been shown to be synergistic with interferon alfa in vitro and in vivo, with nonoverlapping toxicities.”

“We conclude that the association of high doses of etretinate and IFN-alpha has moderate activity in squamous cell carcinomas, is well tolerated, and that IFN-alpha plays a role in the improved tolerance of the retinoid.”

“PURPOSE Recent studies demonstrate that retinoids decrease expression of the anti-apoptotic protein bcl-2, enhance the effect of chemotherapy, and act synergistically with interferon alfa (IFNalpha) to inhibit tumor cell growth in vitro.”

“Preclinical data have shown that all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) can exert significant suppressive effects on Philadelphia-chromosome (Ph)-positive cells.”

“Since in vitro observations indicated that all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), especially in combination with IFNα , can exert significant suppressive effects on Ph+ cells, we investigated the effects and the pharmacokinetic profile of ATRA in a selected cohort of patients with Ph+ chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase.”

“The in vitro inhibitory effect of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on myeloma cell growth may be synergistically potentiated by the activity of dexamethasone (DEX) and alpha-interferon (IFN).”

“ Retinoids and interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) have been shown to have a synergetic antiproliferative and differentiative effect on many cell lines, and in combination they have already been tested with some success in the treatment of some tumors.”

“This observation leads us to suspect that IFN-alpha may alleviate some of the side effects of the retinoid , and is of interest in the design of future clinical trials.”

“In vitro, a synergistic effect of retinoids on interferon alpha antiviral activity has been demonstrated, and in vivo an immunohistochemical study showed that the combined therapy modulates antigens expressed by keratinocytes and increases cytotoxic cells in dermis without modifying the number of Langerhans cells in epidermis.”