Alcohols induce interferon in primary chick embryo cells

Purification of an atypical bovine interferon induced in response to heat shock in bovine cultured cells. Characterization in comparison with the classical alpha, beta and gamma interferon

Heat-shock induced factor (HSIF) was excreted by bovine MDBK cells during their recovery period after a heat shock. This factor has the capacity to induce 2',5' oligoadenylate synthetase activity, an enzyme generally by interferon treatment (J Biol Chem (1987) 262, 4806-4811). We have observed that an antiviral state was also produced in response to heat shock. HSIF was purified 10,000-fold and different techniques showed a copurification of both activities. Certain properties of HSIF were established, such as its molecular mass (45 kDa) and isoelectric point (6.8). This cytokine was acid-sensitive as IFN gamma (type II) and temperature labile contrarily to alpha, beta and gamma bovine IFN. Immunoprecipitation and comparative chromatography on lectines or polynucleotides established that HSIF was structurally different from the three classes of bovine IFN. Moreover, two-dimensional electrophoresis and comparative analysis of [35S] methionine-labeled proteins induced by HSIF alpha, beta or gamma bovine IFN showed that HSIF induces a specific set of proteins. Taken together, all these results strongly suggest that HSIF is a new atypical bovine interferon induced in response to heat shock.

Interferon induction by viruses. XX. Acid-labile interferon accounts for the antiviral effect induced by poly(rI).poly(rC) in primary chick embryo cells

Primary chick embryo cells which were "aged" in vitro and exposed to poly(rI).poly(rC) developed a disproportionately high degree of resistance to virus challenge in relation to the amount of conventional acid-stable interferon (IFN) produced. Cells were often highly resistant after exposure to a few nanograms of poly(rI).poly(rC) which gave rise to little or no acid-stable IFN. Study of the mechanism(s) responsible showed that this antiviral state was not due to the double-stranded ribonuclease induced in parallel, nor to residual poly(rI).poly(rC) (which this ribonuclease destroyed), but to the production of a hitherto undescribed acid-labile chicken IFN.