Interferon induces an antiviral state in ganglioside-deficient transformed mouse fibroblasts.

The antiviral activity of mouse fibroblast interferon against vesicular stomatitis virus was investigated in L-929 mouse fibroblasts and the ganglioside-deficient L-929 mutant cells (ATCC clone NCTC 2071). Although it has been widely reported that gangliosides serve as primary receptors for interferon at the cellular membrane, only a small difference in interferon sensitivity was observed between the wild-type L-929 and the ganglioside-deficient NCTC 2071 cells. It was not possible, however, to overcome this difference by administration of exogenous gangliosides.