Interferon-alpha induced autoimmune hepatitis in a patient with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia with cytogenetically normal T lymphocytes.

We report the occurrence of autoimmune hepatitis after treatment with interferon-alpha in a patient with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia. Cytogenetic and molecular genetic studies of the T lymphocytes in this patient demonstrated that the T lymphocytes were not part of the leukemic clone. The role of interferon in the production of autoimmune abnormalities is reviewed.