Antigenic types of various human lymphoblastoid cell interferons.

There are two antigenic types of human virus-induced interferon (IFN): human leukocyte IFN (Hu IFN-alpha) and human fibroblast IFN (Hu IFN-beta). Production of IFNs in various human T, B and non-T non-B lymphoblastoid cell lines were induced with Sendai virus and the antigenic types of these IFNs were determined. All the IFNs produced in human T lymphoblastoid cell lines (RPMI 8402, Peer, JM and CCRF-CEM cells) were antigenically identical to Hu IFN-beta. On the other hand, the antigenic type of IFN produced in human B lymphoblastoid cell lines was different in each cell line. IFNs produced in BALL-1 and RPMI 6410 cells were Hu IFN-alpha, but IFN produced in B35M cell was Hu IFN-beta. IFNs produced in DG-75 and ARH-77 cells consisted of both Hu IFN-alpha and Hu IFN-beta. IFNs produced in non-T non-B lymphoblastoid cell lines (NALM-16 and U-937 cells) also consisted of Hu IFN-alpha and Hu IFN-beta. Thus the antigenic types of IFNs produced in human lymphoblastoid cells reflect certain characteristics of the producer cells. The factors that determine which antigenic type of IFN is produced have not yet been clarified.