Mouse Interferon Receptors: A Difference in Their Response to   and beta Interferons

Abstract

SUMMARYThe interferon receptors of C3H/10T½ mouse cells respond differently to c~ and interferons under certain conditions. If C3H/10T½ cells which have been maintained in logarithmic growth phase are exposed to trypsin or Pronase immediately before they are treated with mouse interferons, they evince an antiviral response to ~ interferon but not to/~ interferon. In contrast, contact-inhibited C3H/10T½ cells, L-929 mouse cells or human HEL cells lost the ability to respond to both ~ and/~ interferons after treatment with trypsin or Pronase. When L-929 cells are incubated at 37 °C following exposure to these proteolytic enzymes, they completely regain their ability to respond to mouse/~ interferon within 2 h. These observations suggest that the receptors for c~ and /~ interferons are different in their topographical distribution in C3H/10T½ cells.

Interferon-β gene therapy inhibits tumor formation and causes regression of established tumors in immune-deficient mice

“…Significant differences have been noted not only in their receptor binding and signaling but also in their biological activities (19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24). Most relevant to our work is the finding that in certain types of human carcinoma cells, IFN-␤ exhibited a more marked growth inhibitory activity than IFN-␣ (20,21).…”