Increased amounts of double-stranded RNA in the cytoplasm of rat liver following treatment with carcinogens.

Cytoplasmic RNA was isolated from control rats or at 48 hr following carcinogen administration. A significant quantity (0.6%) of double-stranded RNA was present in control preparations, as assessed by digestion with RNase III. Following carcinogen treatment of rats, this percentage increased significantly. The results suggest that the altered transport of repetitive sequences which is induced by carcinogen treatment involves alterations in the metabolism of double-stranded RNA sequences.