Induction of interferon in hybrid clones: Vero 153-mouse myeloma and Vero 153-human lymphocyte cells

Abstract

A Vero cell line (Vero 153) resistant to 8-azaguanine and unresponsive to viral induction of interferon was isolated. This primate (African green) cell line was fused with mouse myeloma (S194/5) and normal human lymphocytes from peripheral blood. All Vero 153--mouse hybrids, 8 primary and 12 secondary clones, produced virus-induced mouse but not primate interferon. This occurred even in cultures where greater than 90% of primate chromosomes were retained. Similarly 7 primary and 3 secondary Vero 153--human clones synthesized virus-induced interferon. This could be neutralized by anti-human fibroblast (beta) but not by anti-human leukocyte (alpha) interferon antisera. The unresponsive nature of Vero 153 cells to interferon induction by viruses was not changed by the presence of interferon producing genomes from other cells. However, despite the inability to produce interferon, the Vero cell was able to play a role in the determination of the type of interferon made in the hybrid cell.

Transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of exogenous human beta interferon gene in simian cells defective in interferon synthesis.

“…The nature of the defect in interferon synthesis in Vero cells is not known. Previous studies have shown that somatic cell hybrids between either mouse L cells and Vero cells (6) or human lymphocytes and Vero cells (14) produced mouse and human interferons, respectively, but not primate interferon. These results suggest that the lack of interferon synthesis in Vero cells is not due to the presence of a repressor that interferes with interferon induction.…”