Glycosaminoglycans alter the conformation of interferon-gamma

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) is a potent immunomodulatory cytokine whose ph ysiological roles are modulated by the extracellular matrix. Here, circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques are used to demonstrat e that low molecular weight heparin and chondroitin sulfate cause significa nt changes in secondary and tertiary structure of IFN-gamma. The results su ggest that heparin and chondroitin sulfate modulate IFN-gamma activity by c ausing structural changes in the IFN-gamma dimer. (C) 2000 Academic Press.