Structure and activity of glycosylated human interferon-gamma

Structural properties and activity of recombinant human interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) purified from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells or a natural source were determined and compared with those of Escherichia coli-derived IFN-gamma. One preparation of CHO-derived IFN-gamma showed three bands, with the middle band being a doublet, in a SDS-polyacrylamide gel. The two higher-molecular-weight bands were shown to be glycosylated. Western blot analysis indicated that the three bands are IFN-gamma and lack an intact carboxyl terminus. The circular dichroic (CD) spectra showed that conformation of the CHO-derived IFN-gamma is similar in the native state, in acid, and after renaturation from acid to the E. coli-derived IFN-gamma. These results indicate that neither glycosylation nor carboxy-terminal processing affects conformational properties of the protein, as detected by CD spectroscopy. However, the antiviral activity was fourfold lower for the preparation of CHO-derived IFN-gamma than for the E. coli-derived IFN-gamma. A different preparation or a natural IFN-gamma preparation with less extensive carboxy-terminal processing showed similar conformational properties and antiviral activity to the E. coli-derived IFN-gamma. These results indicate that the carboxyl terminus, but not glycosylation, plays an important role in the antiviral activity of IFN-gamma.