Characterization of Interferon Messenger RNA from Human Lymphoblastoid Cells

Abstract

After treatment with Sendai virus, Namalwa cells form large amounts of interferon. RNA extracted from treated whole cells or from their polysomes was injected into Xenopus laevis oocytes and the interferon formed was titrated. The results show that the amount of interferon mRNA was maximal by 9 h after treatment of the cells with Sendai virus and then declined. Sucrose gradient centrifugation of the mRNA gave substantial purification and showed that its size was 12 S.

Low Temperature Treatment of Namalwa Cells Causes Superproduction of Interferon

“…It had previously been shown that addition of Act. D up to 5 h after induction caused partial but not complete inhibition of subsequent interferon production (Zoon et al, 1978;Morser et al, 1979). A similar effect was found when the inhibitor was added at 3.5 h after induction (Table 1), but if it was added earlier there was complete inhibition.…”

“…Earlier, Morser et al (1979) had suggested that the cessation of interferon synthesis was due to the disappearance of interferon mRNA. This view was recently challenged by Berger et al (1980) who showed that interferon mRNA could be detected after interferon production had halted.…”

“…Superinduction has not been reported for the production of ~ interferon from leukocytes or lymphoblastoid cells induced with virus (Zoon et al, 1978;Morser et al, 1979). However, yields of a interferon can be enhanced by treating these ceils with butyric acid (Adolf & Swetly, 1979;Baker et al, 1980;Johnston, 1980), or with 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd; Tovey et al, 1977;Baker et al, 1979), before they are induced.…”

The Effect of Hypertonic Salt on Interferon and Interferon mRNA Synthesis in Human MG63 Cells

“…The RNA was pelleted through 5.7 M-CsCI, extracted as described by Morser et al (1979) and dissolved at a concentration of 5 mg/ml. Interferon mRNA was assayed by micro-injecting groups of 10 to 12 oocytes from Xenopus laevis with 30 nl of RNA solution per oocyte, incubating the oocytes for 24 h at 20 °C and then assaying the incubation medium for interferon .…”

Post-translational Events in the Production of Human Lymphoblastoid Interferon

“…RNA was extracted from induced cells by the method of Morser et aL (1979). After the RNA had been dissolved it was extracted twice with a water-saturated mixture of chloroform: butanol (4: I), before ethanol precipitation.…”