Characterization of Lymphocyte Interferons with Different Species Specificities from Normal and Genetically Dystrophic Chickens

Lymphocytes from thymus and spleen of normal (Line 412) and genetically dystrophic (Line 413) chickens produce two types of interferons (IFNs) with different host cell specificities. The first type, referred to as ChIFN-α, demonstrates antiviral activity on primary normal chicken embryo (CE) cells. This activity is stable at 60°C for 1 h and, in this respect, ChIFN-α is similar to the standard ChIFN-β. In contrast, the second type, referred to as ChIFN-α1, demonstrates antiviral activity in human and simian cells but not in primary CE cells. This activity is labile at 60°C for 1 h. The amount of these two types of IFNs produced in lymphocytes from the spleen of dystrophic chickens was fourfold greater than that produced from normal chickens under similar experimental conditions. In contrast to the lymphocytes from thymus and spleen, the lymphocytes from the bursa of both the normal and dystrophic chickens produced only one type of IFN, namely ChIFN-α1. The development of antiviral state in human cells by ChIFN-α1 requires host RNA synthesis. Although ChIFN-α1 has antiviral properties similar to HuIFN-α in human cells, the two IFNs are not antigenically related.