Presence of interferon during bacterial otitis media.

To examine the possibility that interferon (IFN) production plays a role in otitis media, specimens of middle ear fluid (MEF) were cultured for bacteria and viruses and assayed for IFN. Twenty (33%) of 81 MEF specimens from children attending a pediatric clinic contained 50-600 units of IFN/ml. Characterization of high-titered samples by cell species specificity, stability at pH 2, nonspecificity for virus, and cell-bound antiviral activity showed the major properties of IFN.

Antigenic cross-reaction between the alpha types of human and mouse interferon.

Cross-neutralization of the alpha and beta types of human and mouse interferons was tested using antibodies directed against the heterologous types of interferons. The alpha type of mouse interferon (MuIFN-alpha) prepared from L cells was found to be completely neutralizable by high-titered antibody against human alpha-type interferon (HuIFN-alpha), although the titers were much lower than those obtained in neutralization reactions with the homologous interferon. MuIFN-alpha from virus-induced lymphocytes, as well as non-glycosylated MuIFN-alpha from L cells, reacted similarly.

Affinity chromatography of primary human amnion interferon.

The chromatographic behavior of human amniotic interferon on various affinity chromatography ligands was studied. Most of this interferon bound strongly to bovine plasma albumin-agarose, cibacron blue F3GA-agarose, concanavalin A-agarose and L-tryptophyl-L-tyrosine-omega-carboxyl-pentyl-agarose. After binding most of the interferon activity was eluted only with 50 percent ethylene glycol, showing the high hydrophobicity of this interferon.