Stemcell, 78077.1, Human Recombinant IFN-alpha 2B

Interferon-alpha (IFN-α) is a type I interferon, produced by virus infected cells, and is released as a soluble factor to initiate antiviral responses (Isaacs & Lindenmann). IFN-α2 is the most potent IFN-α used in fundamental research and in most clinical applications. The best known IFN-α2 subvariants, 2A and 2B, differ by only one or two amino acids at positions 23 and/or 34 of the mature protein (von Gabain et al.). Type I IFNs exert potent antitumor activity by increasing the cytotoxic activity of NK and T cells, as well as inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells (Paul et al.). Additionally, it has been shown that proinflammatory IFN-α modulates the function of B cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (Chang et al.) and pegylated form of IFN-α 2A and 2B has implications in the treatment of Hepatitis C (Foster et al.).