Evidence for the identity of murine gamma interferon and macrophage activating factor

Macrophages activating factor (MAF) in mouse lymphokine preparations was quantitated using a tumor cell cytotoxicity assay. MAF activity was compared with gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) activity, and the lymphokine mixture subjected to a variety of protein fractionation procedures. No significant difference in the ratio of MAF activity to IFN activity was observed following any of the fractionation steps, even after MAF had been purified to a specific activity of 1 X 10(6) u/mg protein. Gel permeation using high pressure liquid chromatography showed a coincident peak of MAF and IFN activity at approximately 55 kD. Both activities were reduced at similar rates following heating at 56 degrees C or incubation at 4 degrees C in pH 2 buffer. Finally, induction of lymphokines using different inducers (mitogens or antigens) or cell populations always resulted in similar ratios of MAF activity to IFN activity. These results support the hypothesis that MAF and IFN-gamma are identical proteins.