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Volume 15
Issue 18
10.3390/plants15182849
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Stability of Biologically Active Human Interferon α-2b in Transgenic “Long-Shelf Life” Tomatoes and Their Progeny

by
Volodymyr Rudas
1,*,
Olga Ovcharenko
1,*,
Olha Yaroshko
1,
Nadiia Zholobak
2,
Vladyslav Moseiko
3,
Nataliia Shcherbak
1,
Bogdan Morgun
1,
Taras Pasternak
4,* and
Mykola Kuchuk
1
1
Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Academika Zabolotnogo Street, 148-A, 03143 Kyiv, Ukraine
2
Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Academika Zabolotnogo Street, 154, 03680 Kyiv, Ukraine
3
ESC “Institute of Biology and Medicine”, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, 64/13 Volodymyrska Street, 01601 Kyiv, Ukraine
4
Plantae Consulting ES, 03202 Elche, Spain
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Plants 2026, 15(18), 2849; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15182849 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 11 July 2026 / Revised: 25 August 2026 / Accepted: 14 September 2026 / Published: 17 September 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Human interferon α-2b (HuIFNα-2b) is a cytokine with antiviral and antiproliferative activities and is widely used as a therapeutic protein. Here, we investigated the production of biologically active HuIFNα-2b in transgenic tomato plants. Long-shelf-life Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. ‘Shedevr 1’ plants were transformed via an Agrobacterium-mediated protocol using the binary vector pCB124 carrying nptII and HuIFNα-2b genes. PCR and RT-PCR analyses confirmed transgenes presence and expression in regenerated kanamycin-resistant plants. Antiviral activity was evaluated in vitro by the inhibition of vesicular stomatitis virus replication in MA-104 epithelial cells. Interferon activity reached 14.90 × 103 IU g−1 FW in fresh fruit pulp and 854.00 × 103 IU g−1 FW in leaves. Importantly, transgenic fruits retained substantial activity (2.42 × 103–6.72 × 103 IU g−1 FW) after three months of storage, with detectable activity (0.36 × 103 IU g−1 FW) remaining after five months. Transgene inheritance and interferon activity were confirmed in the T1 and T2 generations. These results demonstrate the potential of long-shelf-life transgenic tomatoes as a platform for the production and extended storage of biologically active recombinant proteins, potentially reducing dependence on costly purification and cold storage procedures.
Keywords: human interferon α-2b; molecular farming; plant-based recombinant protein production; tomato; long-term heterologous protein storage in transgenic fruits; antiviral activity human interferon α-2b; molecular farming; plant-based recombinant protein production; tomato; long-term heterologous protein storage in transgenic fruits; antiviral activity

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MDPI and ACS Style

Rudas, V.; Ovcharenko, O.; Yaroshko, O.; Zholobak, N.; Moseiko, V.; Shcherbak, N.; Morgun, B.; Pasternak, T.; Kuchuk, M. Stability of Biologically Active Human Interferon α-2b in Transgenic “Long-Shelf Life” Tomatoes and Their Progeny. Plants 2026, 15, 2849. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15182849

AMA Style

Rudas V, Ovcharenko O, Yaroshko O, Zholobak N, Moseiko V, Shcherbak N, Morgun B, Pasternak T, Kuchuk M. Stability of Biologically Active Human Interferon α-2b in Transgenic “Long-Shelf Life” Tomatoes and Their Progeny. Plants. 2026; 15(18):2849. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15182849

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rudas, Volodymyr, Olga Ovcharenko, Olha Yaroshko, Nadiia Zholobak, Vladyslav Moseiko, Nataliia Shcherbak, Bogdan Morgun, Taras Pasternak, and Mykola Kuchuk. 2026. "Stability of Biologically Active Human Interferon α-2b in Transgenic “Long-Shelf Life” Tomatoes and Their Progeny" Plants 15, no. 18: 2849. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15182849

APA Style

Rudas, V., Ovcharenko, O., Yaroshko, O., Zholobak, N., Moseiko, V., Shcherbak, N., Morgun, B., Pasternak, T., & Kuchuk, M. (2026). Stability of Biologically Active Human Interferon α-2b in Transgenic “Long-Shelf Life” Tomatoes and Their Progeny. Plants, 15(18), 2849. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15182849

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