title: Receptors for human alpha and beta interferon but not for gamma interferon are specified by human chromosome 21.
abstract: We examined the proposed role of human chromosome 21 in determining the cellular sensitivity to human alpha, beta, and gamma interferons (HuIFN-alpha, -beta, and -gamma) and the expression of the receptors for the HuIFNs with the use of mouse-human hybrid cells containing human chromosome 21. Hybrid cells (WA17) containing three copies of human chromosome 21 showed specific displaceable binding of 125I-labeled HuIFN-alpha 2 (125I-HuIFN-alpha 2), which was not observed with mouse parent (A9) cells. Crosslinking of 125I-HuIFN-alpha 2 bound to WA17 cells with disuccinimidyl suberate yielded a complex of Mr approximately equal to 150,000 similar to the 125I-HuIFN-alpha 2-receptor complex obtained with human cells as described earlier. Such a complex was not obtained with mouse parent (A9) cells or with hybrid cells containing certain other human chromosomes but not chromosome 21. Mice inoculated with mouse-human hybrid cells containing human chromosome 21 produce antibodies that block the antiviral action of HuIFN-alpha and -beta on human cells. Such antibodies could immunoprecipitate the 125I-HuIFN-alpha 2-receptor complex obtained from human cells but not free 125I-HuIFN-alpha 2, indicating that these antibodies were directed against the receptor. WA17 hybrid cells were highly sensitive to the antiviral action of HuIFN-alpha 2, -alpha (Le) and -beta but were completely insensitive to HuIFN-gamma. Furthermore, 125I-HuIFN-gamma showed specific binding to human WISH cells but not to WA17 hybrid cells or A9 mouse cells. The results indicate that the receptors for HuIFN-alpha and -beta but not for HuIFN-gamma are specified by human chromosome 21. Hybrid cells containing one, two, or three copies of human chromosome 21 were found to be increasingly sensitive to HuIFN-alpha 2, indicating that a chromosome 21-specified component (possibly the HuIFN-alpha receptor) may be a limiting factor in the cellular sensitivity to HuIFN-alpha.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma; D002460:Cell Line; D002904:Chromosomes, Human, 21-22 and Y; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D006822:Hybrid Cells / Q000166:cytology; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007372:Interferons / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics*; D017471:Receptors, Interferon
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D017471:Receptors, Interferon; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D007372:Interferons