Control of interferon mRNA levels and interferon yields in butyrate and 5'-bromodeoxyuridine-treated Namalwa cells.

Treatment of Namalwa cells with butyrate or 5'-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) before induction with Sendai virus caused an increase in the production of both interferon (IFN) and interferon mRNA (IFN mRNA). However, the increase in IFN mRNA did not completely account for the increase in IFN yield. The treatments did not affect the time course of IFN mRNA transcription and translation, or the association of IFN mRNA with polysomes. Likewise, the treatments did not alter the post-translational fate of the IFN produced. We conclude that butyrate and BrdUrd affect IFN production at the level of transcription or processing of IFN mRNA and suggest that increased efficiency of translation provides an additional level of control.