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An Interferon--like or Interferon-inducing Protein Released by Mitogen-stimulated Human Leukocytes

Department of Human Biology, The Rega Institute, University of Leuven, Minderbroedersstraat 10, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium

Human peripheral blood leukocytes were treated with concanavalin A (Con A) to produce interferon (HuIFN-). On gel filtration this interferon eluted as a protein with a molecular weight of 45000. In addition to this, the culture supernatant contained an interferon-like protein of apparent molecular weight 22000 (22K factor). The antiviral activity of this protein was neutralizable by a highly specific antibody to HuIFN-. Yet, the 22K factor differed from classical HuIFN- in several characteristics: lack of activity on certain homologous and heterologous cells which are sensitive to HuIFN-; lack of affinity for zinc-chelate and Con A-Sepharose columns; failure to bind to an anti-HuIFN- antibody column. Moreover, a specific antiserum raised against the 22K factor did not neutralize HuIFN-. Two alternative explanations of these findings are proposed: (i) the 22K factor is an interferon whose molecular structure resembles that of the known HuIFN- but it is not identical to it, or (ii) the 22K factor is not an interferon but a protein that can induce the production of HuIFN- in certain lines of fibroblastoid cells.

Keywords: IFN (HuIFN), lymphocytes, inducer

Received 10 March 1983; accepted 11 May 1983.