Inhibitory effect of interferon on DNA and RNA synthesis in murine spleen cells stimulated by lectins.

ABSTRACT

Spleen cells from mice inoculated with partially purified preparations of interferon (Sp. Act. 1 X 10(7) i.u./mg protein, 0.2 ml i. v./mouse) were stimulated in vitro with phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A or lipopolysaccharide. After 2 days of stimulation, the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into TCA-insoluble radioactivity was inhibited 50-90% when compared with cells from animals inoculated with mock interferon. Maximal inhibition, with optimal doses of lectins was obtained when interferon was;inoculated 18 hours before. This effect of interferon on DNA synthesis was preceeded by inhibition of the incorporation of 3H-uridine into TCA-insoluble material. When cells were pretreated in vitro with interferon for 24 hours and subsequently stimulated with PHA, RNA synthesis was inhibited by 30-40%, whatever was the dose of the mitogen. The synthesis of 4S tRNA, 18S and 28S ribosomal RNAs were inhibited to the same degree by interferon. The incorporation of methyl groups into cytoplasmic sRNA was unaltered.