CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTIPROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITY OF AN ALPHA-TYPE MURINE INTERFERON FROM EMBRYONIC FIBROBLASTS

Interferons play a part in the negative control of cell proliferation of mammalian cells. Here a natural interferon has been isolated from s oluble proteins secreted by secondary murine embryonic fibroblasts usi ng Blue Sepharose chromatography, immunoaffinity exclusion and Q Sepha rose ion exchange fractionation. Partial amino acid sequencing assigns it to the interferon alpha family. Its biological and physico-chemica l properties single it out from all other murine alpha interferons. Th e embryonic interferon has stronger antiproliferative activity, is aci d labile, has stronger affinity for Blue Sepharose and weak affinity f or antibodies which recognise other murine interferon alpha subtypes.