Profiling of interferon beta immediate transcriptional effects in humans

In this study we used high frequency sampling and DNA microarrays to analyze the longitudinal transcriptional profile of blood cells taken from two individuals only hours after interferon beta administration and up to a week later as compared to samples taken from healthy controls taken at coordinated time points. Keywords: Time series Repeated blood draws were conducted into Paxgene tubes (Qiagen, Valencia, CA) in two individuals after administration of a therapeutic dose of IFNB1a (Avonex, Biogen) in accordance to institutional guidelines. In one individual (P1), samples were obtained at baseline and at 3.5h, 6.25h, 9.5h, 11.5h, 16.5h, 25h, 49h, and 156h. In the other (P2), blood was collected at 7.25h, 10.25h, 13h, 15.5h, and 33h. Samples from four healthy volunteers were also collected. Because samples from the two IFNB-treated individuals were collected at slightly different times, we matched the collection times of two controls to follow each time series.