Molecular Species of Interferon Induced in Mouse L Cells by Newcastle Disease Virus and Polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic Acid

Interferons were stimulated in mouse L cells by Newcastle disease virus (NDV) or by polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid poly(rI).poly(rC). These were fractionated by sequential affinity chromatography on bovine plasma albumin (BPA)-Sepharose and on omega-carboxypentyl (CH)-Sepharose. Based on their interaction with CH-Sepharose, interferon induced by NDV was resolved into three major bands of activity (L/NDV-1,2,3) and poly(rI).poly(rC)-interferon into two (L/rI:rC-1,2). These interferon components were purified to a specific activity of 3 X 10(7) to 4 X 10(7) units/mg protein by antibody affinity chromatography and examined by electrophoresis in SDS-polyacrylamide gels. A total of five molecular species was thus identified for NDV-induced interferon and three for poly(rI).poly(rC) induced interferon, as summarized in Table 1. We conclude from our observations that mouse interferons can be produced by L cells in multiple forms with specific physiochemical properties and in proportions determined by the type of agent employed for induction.