INTERFERONS & ITS PRODUCTION

ORIGIN OF NAME

◦ Interferons are named after their ability to

"interfere" with viral replication within
host cells.

9/26/2017 ASNAD KHAN 2

 DEFINITION:
Natural interferons are glycoprotiens and proteins
made and released by host cells to counteract both
micro-organisms; viruses, bacteria, parasites and

tumor cells.

 DEFINITION 2:

An antiviral substance & is the first line of defence

against viral attacks.

9/26/2017 ASNAD KHAN 3

Discovery of Interferons
 In 1957the British virologist Alick
Isaacs and the Swiss researcher Jean
Lindenmann, at the National Institute
for Medical Research in London.
 Did an experiment using chicken
cell cultures
 Found a substance that interfered
with viral replication and was
therefore named interferon.

9/26/2017 ASNAD KHAN 4

Interferon Basics
 Interferons play an important role
in the first line of defense against
viral infections

 Interferons are part of the non-

specific immune system

 Interferons are made by cells in

response to an appropriate stimulus
9/26/2017 ASNAD KHAN 5
What are
Interferons?
• Naturally occurring proteins and
glycoproteins.
• Secreted by eukaryotic cells in
response to viral infections, tumors,
and other biological inducers.
• Produce clinical benefits for disease
states such as hepatitis, various
cancers, multiple sclerosis, and many
other diseases.
9/26/2017 ASNAD KHAN 6
What are
Interferons?
 Interferons are made by cells in
response to an appropriate stimulus,
and are released into the surrounding
medium; they then bind to receptors
on target cells and induce transcription
ofapproximately 20-30 genes in the
target cells, and this results in an anti-
viral state in the target cells.

9/26/2017 ASNAD KHAN 7

What are
Interferons?
 Structurally,
they are part of the helical
cytokine family which are
characterized by an amino acid chain
that is 145-166 amino acids long.

9/26/2017 ASNAD KHAN 8

 How Does It Prevent Viral
9
Replication?

virus

cells

(Other stimuli:
exogenous ds RNA,
LPS, bacterial
components)
ASNAD KHAN 9/26/2017
 How Does It Prevent Viral
10
Replication?

virus

interferon

ASNAD KHAN 9/26/2017

 How Does it Prevent Viral
11
Replication?
No replication

virus

Inhibitory
proteins

ASNAD KHAN 9/26/2017

 TYPES
12

INTERFERONS

Interferon-α Interferon-β Interferon-γ

(INF-α) (INF-β) (INF-γ)

ASNAD KHAN 9/26/2017

Types of interferon

According to pharmacological structure

1. Alpha (leukocyte interferon)
◦ By virus infected Type I
Beta (fibroblast interferon)
2. leukocytes
◦ By virus infected fibroblasts
epithelial cells
or
3. Gamma (immune interferon) Type II
◦ By activated T cells & NK
cells
According to origin
1. Natural human interferon
2. Synthetic pegylated interferon
9/26/2017 ASNAD KHAN 13
 A DNA sequence coding for the product was synthesized
and inserted into E. coli. The recombinant product
accumulates intracellularly as inclusion bodies
 Large-scale manufacture entails an initial fermentation
step. After harvest, the E. coli cells are homogenized and
the inclusion bodies recovered via centrifugation. After
solubilization and refolding, the interferon is purified to
homogeneity by a combination of chromatographic steps.
 The final product is formulated in the presence of a
phosphate buffer and sodium chloride.
 It is resented as a 30 mg/ml solution in glass vials and
displays a shelf-life of 24 months when stored at 2–8°C`.
9/26/2017 ASNAD KHAN 14
 The complementary DNA(cDNA) was synthesized
from mRNA of a specific interferon.

 Inserted to a vector(plasmid) which is introduced into E.coli or

other cells.

 IFN can be isolated from culture medium. This is the basic

mechanism of producing recombinant IFNs.

9/26/2017 ASNAD KHAN 15

9/26/2017 ASNAD KHAN 16
 THANK YOU

9/26/2017 ASNAD KHAN 17