Generalized occurrence of the broadly antiviral substance UTIβ in mammalian sera

This study compares the characteristics of naturally occurring antiviral activities in nonhuman mammalian sera to UTIβ (University of Texas virus inhibitor β), an innate, non-specific viral inhibitor found in human serum. The antiviral agent in sera from four different species appears to possess properties similar to those of UTIβ, e.g. molecular weight of 60 ± 10 kDa, broad spectrum antiviral activity, glycoprotein structure with antiviral oligosaccharide moiety(s) attached to a carrier protein, and inhibition of most viruses by preventing their attachment to target cells. These findings suggest that UTIβ or UTIβ-like virus inhibitors are a normal component of the non-specific immune defenses of mammals.