Regulation of cellular interferon production: enhancement by antimetabolites.

Cycloheximide, at a protein-inhibitory concentration, when given to rabbit kidney cell cultures that had been exposed either to UV-irradiated Newcastle Disease virus or to a complex of polyinosinic and polycytidylic acids (poly I.poly C), enhanced the production of interferon. The enhancement was greater if, in addition to cycloheximide, the cells were also treated with actinomycin D. On the basis of these findings, a mechanism, consisting primarily of the production of a control protein which normally checks interferon production, is postulated for interferons stimulated by these two substances.