A New Type of Human Interferon Produced by Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Treated with Inhibitors of Transcription

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from human normal donors treated with inhibitors of transcription produce a protein with the properties of interferon (IFN) [activity against a broad range of viruses, species specificity, lack of blockade of virus attachment, capability to induce in cells durable antiviral state, establishment of antiviral state requiring ongoing protein and RNA synthesis, capability to induce 2′,5′-oligoadenylate synthetase]. This IFN-like protein has a molecular weight of ∼7000 daltons and is not neutralized by antibody to α-, β-, and γ-IFNs tested singularly or in a pooled fashion. Taken together the data suggest that this IFN-like protein may indeed be a new type of human IFN.