The protective effect of interferon against natural killing activity is not mediated via the expression of class I MHC antigens.

Natural-killer cell mediated cytotoxicity (NK-CMC) is modulated by interferons both at the effector cell and at the target cell levels. Pretreatment of effector cells with interferon increases their cytotoxicity while pretreatment of target cells with interferons decreases their sensitivity to NK-CMC. Interferons are inducers of several genes including those of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and several earlier studies have established a circumstantial correlation between induction of class I MHC gene products and induction of resistance to NK-CMC. In the present study we demonstrate that interferon-alpha renders Daudi cells resistant to NK-CMC without inducing the surface expression of class I MHC antigens. Therefore we suggest that these two phenomena are independent responses to interferon treatment.