Inhibition of murine L cell interferon action by heparin.

Heparin added together with murine L cell interferon inhibited the development of antiviral activity in mouse L cells. When added after interferon treatment, heparin had no effect on antiviral activity. There was also no inhibition of interferon action in L cells treated with heparin before addition of interferon. On the other hand, heparin did not inhibit antiviral activities of human interferon alpha and beta. Since murine L cell interferon, but not human interferon alpha and beta, binds to a heparin affinity column and can be eluted with a solution of high salt, it is presumed that murine L cell interferon and heparin must interact with each other. The apparent interaction of heparin with murine L cell interferon was prevented by protamine, a drug that neutralizes heparin. Dextran sulfate inhibited murine L cell interferon action, but dextran and chondroitin sulfate A did not. These results suggests that heparin inhibited murine L cell interferon action by the binding via sulfate groups on its molecules. Heparin also inhibited antiviral activity of murine L cell interferon in mice infected with herpes simplex virus (+GC Miyama strain).