Pegylated Interferon Alpha                                                              

 

What is Pegylated Interferon Alpha-2b?

Pegylated interferon alfa-2b is a form of medication that is commonly used in combined therapy with ribavirin, to treat hepatitis C. It normalises liver tests, improves hepatic inflammation and reduces viral replication in chronic hepatitis C. It is given subcutaneously once a week for 24 months. 50% of patients with chronic hepatitis will respond to this treatment, whereas half will relapse within 6 months.

 

Structure

Pegylation is the process of covalent attachment of polyethylene glycol polymer chains to another molecule. This enhances the effect of the drug, as Pegylation not only masks the agent from the immune system, but also increases its biological half life. It also prevents it from being degraded by proteolytic enzymes, thus enhancing and prolonging its role.

 

Mechanism

Pegylated interferon alpha-2b works through the JAK-STAT signalling pathway where it activates transcription factors that transcribe genes involved in cell cycle control, cell differentiation, apoptosis (programmed cell death) and immune response.

 

It acts as a multifunctional immunoregulatory cytokine by transcribing genes like interleukin-4 (IL4). This is responsible for activating T helper cells, which stimulates B cells to proliferate, increase antibody production and induce an immune response against a foreign pathogen.

 

Overall, it increases the body’s ability to tackle the virus and in conjunction with ribavirin, stop the virus from spreading. Furthermore, it slows down the progression of liver damage.

 

Side Effects

The side effects of pegylated interferon are minor – upon injection, the patient will experience flu-like symptoms, which include fever, chills, headache, etc. 

 

References and Links                                                                       

Information:

 

Images: