%0 Journal Article %A Bocci, V. %A Pacini, A. %A Pessina, G. P. %A Paulesu, L. %A Muscettola, M. %A Lunghetti, G. %T Catabolic Sites of Human Interferon-γ %D 1985 %J Journal of General Virology, %V 66 %N 4 %P 887-891 %@ 1465-2099 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-66-4-887 %K kidney %K liver %K IFN %K pharmacokinetic properties %I Microbiology Society, %X SUMMARY Recombinant human interferon-γ (HuIFN-γ) injected into rabbits disappeared from the circulation more rapidly than natural IFN-γ. The latter displayed an initial decay curve more rapid than that for natural HuIFN-α although 4 h after injection plasma levels were similar. This result suggests that IFN-γ has pharmacokinetic properties different to those of IFN-α which may be explained by considerable and simultaneous hepatic and renal catabolism. Surprisingly, the hepatic uptake of recombinant (unglycosylated) IFN-γ was more marked than uptake of natural IFN-γ. Moreover, both IFN-γ preparations were cleared by the isolated and perfused kidney and once again the recombinant IFN disappeared more rapidly. This result does not conform with the suggestion that IFN-γ exists as a tetramer which would not be filtered by the glomerulus, but is consistent with the pharmacokinetic behaviour shown in vivo. %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/0022-1317-66-4-887