Abstract
Summary
Mouse L cells infected with nonreplicating Newcastle disease virus first developed antiviral resistance and then produced the interferon protein. Such infected cells, during inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide, did not produce viral components or interferon and did not develop antiviral resistance. However, after reversal of protein inhibition and the addition of actinomycin D interferon was produced but antiviral resistance failed to develop. The production of interferon but not antiviral resistance after reversal of inhibition of protein synthesis was interpreted to indicate that the mRNA for interferon, but not the mRNA for antiviral resistance, was transcribed during infection in the presence of inhibitors of protein synthesis. The failure of development of the proposed mRNA for antiviral resistance in the absence of production of interferon suggests that induction of resistance by this virus is mediated by interferon. Finally, the production of the mRNA for interferon in the absence of even partial replication of Newcastle disease virus indicates that the stimulus for induction of interferon in this system is provided by a component of the input virus or an associated physical event.
The authors express their gratitude to Dr. Hilton B. Levy, Dr. Robert M. Friedman, and Prof. Claudio Pellegrino for helpful suggestion and criticism. The excellent technical assistance by Mr. G. Eutropi is gratefully acknowledged.
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