Kontsek P, Borecký L, Koniseková E, Novák M, Krchnák V
Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia.
Acta Virol. 1990 Apr;34(2):145-54.
We have recently reported that a unique antigenic structure, designated as Common epitope 1, was found to be shared by human recombinant IFN alpha-2 and the human fibroblast IFN beta. The Common epitope 1 was identified with the aid of a synthetic IFN alpha-2 fragment SH 132-137. Based on this observation, we proposed the hypothesis that an antigenic relationship should exist also between natural human leukocyte IFN alpha and natural human fibroblast IFN beta. However, we were not able to detect any Common epitope 1 in preparations of conventional human leukocyte IFN alpha. In the present study, we were looking for a possible explanation of absence of the Common epitope 1 in conventional leukocyte IFN alpha. First, we demonstrated its acid labile nature in the recombinant IFN alpha-2 molecule and second, we proposed that the pH 2 lability of this unique epitope might be responsible for the lack of antigenicity also in pH 2-treated (conventional) leukocyte IFN alpha preparations. Actually, when pH 2 non-treated leukocyte IFN alpha was examined, we succeeded in demonstration of the Common epitope 1 in IFN-preparation. Moreover, anti-serum against pH 2 non-treated IFN alpha was capable of neutralizing both the conventional i.e. pH 2-treated leukocyte IFN alpha and fibroblast IFN beta. It is concluded that the nomenclature distinguishing two classes (i.e. alpha and beta as class I and gamma as class II) of IFNs is more appropriate than the current official nomenclature distinguishing three antigenic classes of IFNs.
我们最近报道，一种独特的抗原结构，命名为共同表位1，被发现存在于重组人干扰素α-2和人成纤维细胞干扰素β中。共同表位1是借助合成的干扰素α-2片段SH 132 - 137鉴定出来的。基于这一观察结果，我们提出假说，即天然人白细胞干扰素α和天然人成纤维细胞干扰素β之间也应该存在抗原关系。然而，我们在常规人白细胞干扰素α制剂中未能检测到任何共同表位1。在本研究中，我们试图寻找常规白细胞干扰素α中不存在共同表位1的可能原因。首先，我们在重组干扰素α-2分子中证明了其酸不稳定性质，其次，我们提出这种独特表位在pH 2时的不稳定性可能也是pH 2处理过的（常规）白细胞干扰素α制剂缺乏抗原性的原因。实际上，当检测未用pH 2处理的白细胞干扰素α时，我们成功地在干扰素制剂中证明了共同表位1。此外，针对未用pH 2处理的干扰素α的抗血清能够中和常规的即pH 2处理过的白细胞干扰素α和成纤维细胞干扰素β。结论是，将干扰素分为两类（即α和β为I类，γ为II类）的命名法比目前区分三类抗原性干扰素的官方命名法更合适。
