Partial Dissociation of Antiviral and Antimitogenic Activities of Murine Interferon after Its Incorporation into Liposomes

Murine fibroblast interferon (MuIFN, 90% β, 10% α) was associated with both positively and negatively charged liposomes formed by reverse-phase evaporation. This interferon-liposome association occurred predominantly in a manner that resulted in protection of a significant portion of the IFN's antiviral activity from trypsin digestion, yet also permitted biological expression of this activity without prior liposome disruption. A differential dissociation of antiviral and antimitogenic activities was observed with MuIFN associated with positively vs negatively charged liposomes, as reflected by differential sensitivities to trypsin inactivation. This may reflect either (1) differential associations of various molecular species of MuIFN with liposomes, or (2) that different portions of the IFN molecule are responsible for the antiviral and the antimitogenic activities.