Measurement of antiviral activity induced by interferons alpha, beta, and gamma

Curr Protoc Immunol. 2001 May:Chapter 6:Unit 6.9. doi: 10.1002/0471142735.im0609s37.

Abstract

The Basic Protocol in this unit describes an assay for murine IFN-induced antiviral activity and employs vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and IFN-sensitive fibroblasts. Support Protocol describes the preparation of VSV cultures and the calculation of multiplicity of infection (MOI; i.e., concentration of viral particles required to infect cells). Support Protocol describes the antibody neutralization assay, which can be used to identify the bioactive species of IFN in a sample, or to test the potency of an antibody preparation against a particular species of IFN. Alternate Protocol 1 covers measurement of human IFN-induced antiviral activity; while the steps are quite similar to Basic Protocol, different viral and cell cultures are described.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral
  • Encephalomyocarditis virus / immunology*
  • Fibroblasts / virology
  • Humans
  • Interferon-alpha / immunology
  • Interferon-beta / immunology
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology
  • Interferons / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Neutralization Tests / methods*
  • Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / immunology*

Substances

  • Interferon-alpha
  • Interferon-beta
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Interferons