Interferon Production and Protein Synthesis in Chick Cells

Abstract

Friedman, Robert M. (National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Md.). Interferon production and protein synthesis in chick cells. J. Bacteriol. 91: 1224–1229. 1966.—Overnight incubation of chick embryo fibroblasts (CEF) at 4 C before infection with live Semliki Forest virus (SFV) increased virus yields but decreased interferon production. The same findings were noted when CEF were incubated for 4 hr with p -fluorophenylalanine (FPA) before infection with live SFV or inactivated Chikungunya virus. In both systems incorporation of C 14 -leucine into protein appeared to be increased after pretreatment at 4 C or with FPA. Protein synthesis could be raised in CEF incubated in 0.5% serum after trypsinization by increasing the concentration of serum. CEF in 10% serum had higher rates of C 14 -leucine incorporation than did cells in 1.5% serum, but again the cells with the apparently high rate of incorporation produced less interferon. These findings may be related to the mechanism of cellular control over interferon production.