Interferon action may not be effected by induction of a cellular ribonuclease

Abstract

TREATMENT of animal cells with interferon or polyinosinic–polycytidylic acid (pI : pC) can prevent multiplication of animal viruses. In the case of most of such viruses the interferon action consists of an inhibition of the viral translation. For some viruses, such as the DNA-containing Simian virus 40 (SV40), there is evidence for direct inhibition both of transcription^1–3 and translation^4,5. Marcus et al.⁶ have shown, in chick embryo fibroblasts (CEF), that interferon or pI: pC are able to induce membrane-bound alkaline RNase activity. It was therefore proposed that degradation of viral RNA by membrane-associated RNase is indicative of a unifying concept of interferon action⁶. We attempted to determine whether the induction of interferon is paralleled by an induction of membrane-associated RNase activity in CEF and in primary African green monkey kidney (AGMK) cells. Our results show RNase induction in CEF but not in AGMK cells.