Antiviral Action of Murine Interferons on Heterologous Cells

Five murine interferon preparations were compared for their antiviral action on 10 heterologous cell types. Immune interferon preparations induced by either BCG/old tuberculin in vivo or concanavalin A in vitro exhibited some protection on porcine, monkey and rat cells. This was also noted with interferon induced by polyriboinosinic acid: polyribocytidylic acid (poly I:C) in spleen cells. Interferons induced by poly I:C in vivo or in L-929 cells did not protect these three cell types. All three preparations induced by poly I:C showed some activity on guinea pig cells, but this was not the case with either immune interferon preparation. None of the five preparations exhibited any measurable activity on human, bovine, chick, or rabbit cells.