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Biological properties of virus-induced interferons
Texas Reports on Biology and Medicine
|January 1, 1977
Summary
Mouse and human cells produce multiple types of interferon, which are proteins with antiviral properties. Human interferons exhibit variations in glycosylation, hydrophobicity, and potentially amino acid sequences, suggesting distinct molecular species.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
- Virology
Background:
- Cells produce multiple molecular species of interferon.
- Mouse interferon comprises various polypeptides with likely antiviral activity.
- Human fibroblast interferon is a single polypeptide, while other human cells yield distinct interferon species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular diversity of interferons in mice and humans.
- To explore the physical and biological differences among human interferon species.
- To determine if different human cell types produce antigenically distinguishable interferons.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of interferon molecular species in mouse and human cells.
- Translation of messenger RNAs from human fibroblast and lymphoblastoid cells in Xenopus oocytes.
- Assessment of antigenic distinguishability of translated interferon products.
Main Results:
- Human interferons display variations in glycosylation and hydrophobicity.
- Messenger RNAs from different human cells yield antigenically distinct interferon products when translated.
- Evidence suggests potential differences in amino acid sequences among human interferon species.
Conclusions:
- Human cells may produce at least two distinct structural genes for interferon.
- The antiviral and anticellular activities of both mouse and human interferon likely reside within the same molecule.
- Interferon diversity contributes to varied biological and physical properties.
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