Stimulation of microtubule assembly by recombinant human interferon-alpha and interferon-gamma

Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) have been demonstrated to stimulate microtubule assembly measured in the in vitro assembly system. The process is substoichiometric occurring when the interferon concentrations are below that of tubulin. IFN-gamma is a more potent effector than IFN-alpha. The critical tubulin concentration describing microtubule assembly decreases from 1.5 mg/ml measured in the absence of added effector to 1.05 mg/ml and 1.3 mg/ml when measured in the presence of 2.16.10(-6) M IFN-gamma and 3.06.10(-6) M IFN-alpha, respectively.