Antigenicity of Mouse Inter ferons Induced In Vitro and In Vivo by Poly(I) · Poly(C)

Various mouse IFNs induced by poly(I).poly(C) or poly(ICLC) were analyzed for the antigenic types by neutralization tests using anti-IFN-alpha and anti-IFN-beta antibodies. The IFN samples included IFNs produced by L cells, by spleen cells in vitro and ex vivo, and in plasma of mice injected with the inducers. L-cell IFN was estimated to consist of IFN-beta and IFN-alpha at a ratio of about 80:20. Spleen IFNs also consisted of both IFN species, but IFN-alpha was the major component. Blood IFN samples obtained 1-4 h after injection of poly(I).poly(C) or poly(ICLC) consisted of the two molecular species, whereas the samples 8 and 24 h after injection contained only IFN-alpha. High levels of IFN activity (IFN-alpha) persisted much longer in the circulation of mice injected with poly(ICLC) than in mice injected with poly(I).poly(C).