Antiviral effect of interferon covalently bound to sepharose.

Interferon, covalently bound to Sepharose 4B activated by cyanogen bromide, induces the antiviral state in sensitive cells. The antiviral effect is neutralized by antiserum specific to interferon and is recovered thereafter when the antibody is detached from the interferon by treatment at low pH. Binding interferon to Sepharose increases the stability of the molecule. It is likely that the interferon molecule acts on the cell receptor without being detached from the beads. However, the data do not exclude the possibility of a small loss of interferon, or fragments of it, after contact with the cell.