Antiviral and anticellular effects of interferon on the mouse embryonic cells transformed by viruses and/or chemical carcinogen.

The antiviral and anticellular activity of partially purified mouse interferon has been tested in cell lines transformed with Simian Virus 40 (MEB-SV 40), mouse sarcoma virus (Harvey strain) (MEB-MSV), and 20-methylcholanthrene (MEB-MCH), respectively. The transformed lines were derived from C3H mouse embryonic primary cells. It has been shown that the MEB-MSV cells were 10 to 50 times less sensitive to the antiviral effect of interferon than the MEB-SV 40 or MEB-MCH cells. A 30% reduction of the number of treated cells as compared with untreated control cells was taken as basis for comparison of anticellular activity of interferon in transformed lines. While the MEB-MCH cells required 1000 units of interferon for a 30% growth inhibition, about 3000 units were necessary for a comparable suppression of MEB-SV 40 cells and/or MEB-MSV cells.