ABSTRACT
The effect of interferon alfa-2-b [IFN] on O[2]-uptake of isolated rat liver homogenate and mitochondria at 37°C over two hours were examined in two concentrations "6428.5 and 3214.3 IU/kg rat". The results of the rates of aerobic respiration of rat liver homogenate revealed the occurrence of uniform reductions in total O[2]-consumption after 1, 2, 3 and 4 hours exposure to the two concentrations of interferon. On the other hand, the O2-uptake of mitochondria exerted an enhancement effect after the exposure time under the effect of the drug. Protein patterns were determined and identified by SDS/PAGE method, genomic DNA was extracted and purified, then isolated on 1% agarose for analysis the molecular size of DNA after treatment with interferon by the two doses. RNA was extracted and purified and then isolated on agarose 1.3% for determining the differences in the molecular size between the treated and nontreated samples. The protein concentration was significantly increased by the two doses of the drug. The protein patterns on SDS/PAGE revealed different bands with different molecular Daltons. The genomic DNA isolated from rat liver mitochondira or homogenate have a high molecular size [more than 1.0 kbp.]. In addition, interferon at the low dose decreased the RNA concentration either in rat liver homogenate or mitochondria, while the high dose of the drug increased the concentration of RNA. The molecular weight of isolated RNA on agarose either from rat liver homogenate or mitochondria after drug treatment exhibited a molecular size more than 1031 bp. PCR amplification was conducted on genomic DNA of rat liver homogenate after interferon alpha 2-b treatment by the high dose only. All PCR products appeared to be identical and the bands had the same molecular weights