4991. Interferon-β

Nomenclature

Beta-interferon; fibroblast interferon; FIF; IFN-β; IFN-β1.

Description and references

Cytokine with antiviral, antiproliferative and immunomodulatory activity produced by fibroblasts in response to stimulation by live or inactivated virus or by certain synthetic polynucleotides. One of the type I interferons. Glycoprotein containing 166 amino acids; mol wt ≈20 kDa. Production by human fibroblast cell cultures: E. A. Havell, J. Vilcek, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 2, 476 (1972). Purification and initial characterization: E. Knight, Jr., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 73, 520 (1976). Amino acid analysis, partial sequence: idem et al., Science 207, 525 (1980); S. Stein et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77, 5716 (1980). Production by recombinant DNA technology: T. Taniguchi et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77, 5230 (1980); R. Derynck et al., Nature 285, 542 (1980); D. V. Goeddel et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 8, 4057 (1980). Review of therapeutic activity in viral disease and in multiple sclerosis (MS): J. J. Alam, Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 6, 688-691 (1995).

Derivative

Interferon Beta (human).

Nomenclature

Feron (Toray); Fiblaferon (Rentschler); Frone (Serono); Naferon (Sclavo).

Description and references

Natural interferon produced by cell cultured human fibroblasts. Clinical evaluation in MS: L. Jacobs et al., Arch. Neurol. 44, 589 (1987); in herpes simplex infections: M. Glezerman et al., Lancet 1, 150 (1988). Review of industrial prepn: M. Morandi, A. Valeri, Adv. Biochem. Eng. Biotechnol. 37, 57-72 (1988).

Derivative

Interferon Beta-1a.

Nomenclature

CAS number: 145258-61-3
Avonex (Biogen); Rebif (Serono).

Description and references

Recombinant human IFN-β produced in Chinese Hamster ovary cells. Glycoprotein consisting of 166 amino acid residues; contains ≈11% carbohydrate by weight. Clinical trial in MS: L. D. Jacobs et al., Ann. Neurol. 39, 285 (1996).

Derivative

Interferon Beta-1b.

Nomenclature

CAS number: 145155-23-3
IFN-betaser; Betaferon (Schering AG); Betaseron (Schering AG).

Description and references

Nonglycosylated polypeptide produced in E. coli. Consists of 165 amino acid residues; mol wt ≈18.5 kDa. Synthetic mutein having a serine substituted for the cysteine residue at position 17 of the native molecule. Prepn: D. F. Mark et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81, 5662 (1984). Review of clinical use in MS: D. E. Goodkin, Lancet 344, 1057-1060 (1994). Clinical pharmacokinetics: O. A. Khan et al., Neurology 46, 1639 (1996).

Therapeutic Category

Antiviral; immunomodulator.

Keywords

Antiviral; Immunomodulator