Increased resistance of an interferon-resistant cell subline to the toxic effect of double-stranded RNA.

The toxicity of double-stranded (ds) f2-phage RNA for interferon-treated L cells and an interferon-resistant subline of L cells (CVS cells) was compared. The interferon-resistant subline proved to be about 20 times more resistant to ds RNA than the parent L cells. The degree of toxicity of ds RNA was dependent on the concentration of interferon to which the cells were exposed.