Metabolism of interferon: hepatic clearance of native and desialylated interferon.

The effect of removal of sialic acid on the survival of rabbit serum and urinary interferon (IF) has been investigated in isolate, perfused rabbit liver preparations. In contrast with native IF, which may be already partially desialylated. IF freed of 80 to 90% of its sialic acid was rapidly cleared from the perfusate of normal livers, or livers pre-treated with actinomycin D. The results suggest that the mechanism of IF catabolism by the liver is similar to that reported for several other circulating glycoproteins.