Skip to Content
Merck
All Photos(1)

Key Documents

I8657

Sigma-Aldrich

Interferon α from rat

≥95%, recombinant, expressed in bacteria, lyophilized powder, suitable for cell culture

Synonym(s):

IFN-α

Sign Into View Organizational & Contract Pricing


About This Item

MDL number:
UNSPSC Code:
12352202
NACRES:
NA.32

biological source

rat

Quality Level

recombinant

expressed in bacteria

Assay

≥95%

form

lyophilized powder

mol wt

~19 kDa

packaging

pkg of 1 vial

concentration

300,000-800,000,000 units/mL

technique(s)

cell culture | mammalian: suitable

UniProt accession no.

shipped in

dry ice

storage temp.

−70°C

Gene Information

General description

Interferon α is a cytokine, that belongs to type I interferon (IFNs) family. It possesses 14 genes, including 2 pseudo-genes or allelic forms that encodes for 13 proteins. It is mainly induced in response to viral infection. It is a non-leukemogenic peptide.

Biochem/physiol Actions

Cytokine with anti-viral, anti-proliferative, immunoregulatory, and proinflammatory activities. Type I Interferons are a closely related family of 165-172 amino acid proteins that are produced by leukocytes (α subtypes), fibroblasts (β subtypes), lymphocytes (ω subtypes) and ruminant embryos (τ subtypes). Interferon induces a variety of effects on target cells including antiviral, antiproliferative and immunomodulatory activities.
Interferon α play a key role in the inhibition of in vitro proliferation of hematopoietic progenitors. It mediates the regulation of gene expression that is responsible for development and functionality of innate and adaptive immunity. It has been used as myelosuppressive agent for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs).

Physical form

Lyophilized from a solution containing citric acid buffered saline (CBS pH 5.0) and 125 mM trehalose

Analysis Note

The biological activity is determined in the cytopathic effect inhibition assay using rat epithelial-like (RATEC) cells with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in the presence of 2mM glutathione. The cytopathic effect of 50% is produced with ~1 unit/mL interferon. Since there is no international rat interferon α standard, units are determined with respect to the NIH international standard reference for mouse interferon α/β.

Storage Class Code

11 - Combustible Solids

WGK

WGK 3

Flash Point(F)

Not applicable

Flash Point(C)

Not applicable


Certificates of Analysis (COA)

Search for Certificates of Analysis (COA) by entering the products Lot/Batch Number. Lot and Batch Numbers can be found on a product’s label following the words ‘Lot’ or ‘Batch’.

Already Own This Product?

Find documentation for the products that you have recently purchased in the Document Library.

Visit the Document Library

Type I interferons (?/?) in immunity and autoimmunity
Theofilopoulos AN, et al.
Fish & Shellfish Immunology, 23(11), 307-335 (2005)
Interferon- ? therapy in bcr-abl-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms
Kiladjian JJ, et al.
Leukemia, 22(11), 1990-1990 (2008)
Jin Zhao et al.
PloS one, 8(5), e64301-e64301 (2013-06-07)
The cytokine interleukin-28B (IL-28B) has potential antiviral properties and regulatory roles in adaptive cellular immunity. A genome-wide association study identified a single nucleotide polymorphism near the IL-28B gene that strongly predicts response to hepatitis C treatment with interferon and ribavirin.
The interferon system of teleost fish
Robertsen B
Fish & Shellfish Immunology, 20(2), 172-191 (2006)
Agnieszka Rynda et al.
PloS one, 5(1), e8720-e8720 (2010-01-22)
Conventional methods to induce tolerance in humans have met with limited success. Hence, efforts to redirect tolerogen uptake using reovirus adhesin, protein sigma 1 (psigma1), may circumvent these shortcomings based upon the recent finding that when reovirus psigma1 is engineered

Our team of scientists has experience in all areas of research including Life Science, Material Science, Chemical Synthesis, Chromatography, Analytical and many others.

Contact Technical Service