Interaction of interferon with chick embryo cells

summary The degree of resistance to vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) increased with the time of contact of chick embryo cells with interferon at 37°C. Resistance developed in cells which were held in contact with interferon at 4°C for an hour, washed free of interferon and then incubated at 37°C before inoculation. The degree of resistance that developed after such treatment was lower than that formed when both the contact with interferon as well as further incubation were performed at 37°C. Increased time of contact with interferon at 4°C led to increased protection. This is considered evidence that the resistance developed after treatment at 4°C was not due to residual unbound interferon carried over to 37°C. Instead it must have been the result of some kind of interaction between interferon and cells taking place at 4°C. Incubation of cells with interferon in the presence of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) not only failed to increase, but even significantly decreased, the degree of resistance. Incubation of cells with a high concentration of fetal calf serum (FCS) inhibited the action of interferon and increased the yield of VSV.Medical Student, supported by the Honors Program of New York University School of Medicine, maintained by Public Health Service Grant 5T5 GM2-05.