The isolation of human beta-interferon receptor by wheat germ lectin affinity and immunosorbent column chromatographies.

Radioiodinated human beta-interferon-Ser 17 (Betaseron) was reversibly cross-linked to Daudi cells by dithiobis(succinimidylpropionate). The radioactive ligand was cross-linked to three macromolecules forming labeled complexes of apparent Mr values of 130,000, 220,000, and 320,000. Betaseron, human alpha-interferon, human interleukin 2 but not recombinant human gamma-interferon competed with the labeled ligand for binding to these putative receptor(s). Human leukocyte-produced gamma-interferon competed weakly with 125I-Betaseron for binding to Daudi cells. The Betaseron-receptor complex(es) was purified by passage through a wheat germ lectin column followed by chromatography on an anti-interferon immunosorbent column and semipreparative gel electrophoresis. The cross-linked ligand-receptor complex was shown to be highly purified by sodium dodecyl sulfate and acetic acid:urea:Triton X-100 polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It can be dissociated into the labeled Betaseron (Mr = 17,000) ligand and a receptor moiety which has an apparent molecular weight of 110,000. The chromatographic behavior of the ligand-receptor complex on wheat germ lectin column suggests that the receptor is a glycoprotein. The described procedure yielded about 1 microgram of Betaseron receptor from 10(10) Daudi cells, estimated to contain a maximum of about 15 micrograms of the receptor.