Background

Interferons are potent cytokines that can inhibit viral replication, limit cell proliferation and enhance activation of the adaptive immune responses. Most interferons display strong species specificity. However, closer species relationships tend to lead to higher cross-reactivity. For example, non-human primates have been shown to respond to human IFNs both in vitro and in vivo.  In contrast, human IFN-α2 has an EC₅₀ of <1U/ml on human A549 cells, while the EC₅₀ on murine cells is >1000U/ml. One exception to this phenomenon is the discovery that Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells (MDBK) were broadly cross-reactive to human IFN-α including human IFN-α2. Consequently, researchers who work on human interferons can find themselves working on multiple cell lines of different species lineages. One useful technique used to prove the biological activity of human IFN-α is to conduct a sample analysis with and without an antibody that neutralizes IFN-α. One caveat is the substantial sequence variation between the type I IFN receptors expressed on human, non-human primate and especially bovine cells. Therefore, one cannot assume that the IFN:receptor interactions behave the same on each cell line. This study was conducted to determine if a rabbit  polyclonal antibody raised against human IFN-α2 would inhibit the activity of human IFN-α2 on human (A549), NHP (LLC-MK2) and bovine (MDBK) cells. 

For research use only, not for diagnostic or therapeutic use.