Description: The B18R protein is a vaccinia virus-encoded receptor with specificity for mouse, human, rabbit, pig, rat, and cow type I interferons which has potent neutralizing activity. Reactivity to mouse has been shown to be less than other species. The B18R protein is a type I interferon receptor encoded by the B18R gene of the Western Reserve vaccinia virus strain. The 60-65 kD glycoprotein is related to the interleukin-1 receptors and is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, unlike other type I IFN-receptors, which belong to the class II cytokine receptor family. The B18R protein has a high affinity (KD, 174 pM) for human IFN alpha and, unlike other type I IFN receptors, has broad species specificity, binding to type I interferons of human, mouse, rat, rabbit, pig, and cow. Among viral host response modifiers, the B18R protein is unique in that it exists as a soluble extracellular, as well as a cell surface protein, enabling blockage of both autocrine and paracrine IFN functions. The B18R protein has been shown to inhibit the antiviral potency of IFN-alpha1, IFN-alpha2 , IFN-alpha-8/1/8, and IFN-omega on human cells. The soluble B18R protein is highly potent for neutralizing type I interferons, which include IFN-alpha, beta, delta, kappa. Please note effects on mouse IFNs vary from other species; it has been shown that B18R does not neutralize mouse IFN beta.
