The role of cell membrane in the antiviral effect of interferon.

The mechanism of interferon action in human fibroblasts has been studied by use of both antisera to human fibroblast interferon and the antisera to the surface of human fibroblast cell. The anti-interferon serum completely neutralized the antiviral effect of human fibroblast interferon. Interferon antiserum prevented the intracellular antiviral state from developing when added to the medium of the cells in which interferon synthesis had already been induced by poly (I-C). This suggests that development of the antiviral state involves interferon interaction with the external part of the producing cell. Treatment with the serum directed against the surface of human fibroblast cells failed to inhibit the antiviral activity of human interferon in these cells. In addition, the effect of gangliosides on the antiviral activity of human interferon was studied and it was found that human interferon binds to gangliosides and that this interaction leads to inactivation of the antiviral effect of interferon. Pretreatment of human fibroblasts with gangliosides had no effect on the sensitivity of these cells to exogenous interferon.