Comparative studies on (2'-5')oligoadenylate-related enzyme systems and the antiviral effect of interferon in two...

Effect of (2'-5')oligoadenylate (2-5A) on cellular and viral protein and RNA syntheses was investigated with two mouse cell lines, L929 and Lz (a subclone of L929). The oligonucleotide was introduced into the cells either by using calcium phosphate coprecipitation technique or by microinjection method. In L929 cells protein and viral RNA syntheses were severely inhibited by 2-5A, whereas in Lz cells, both were only slightly inhibited. The activities of 2-5A synthetase and double-stranded (ds)RNA-dependent protein kinase were enhanced by interferon (IFN) treatment roughly to the same extent and there was no significant difference in the level of 2'-5' phosphodiesterase activity either. On the other hand, 2-5A-dependent RNase (RNase L) activity in Lz cells was low, being about 10-20% of that of L929 cells. It was increased twofold after IFN treatment, but protein synthesis of Lz cells was not as sensitive to 2-5A as that of L929 cells even after IFN treatment. L929 and Lz cells were sensitive to the antiviral effect of mouse IFN against vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and Mengovirus. In contrast, however, Lz cells were relatively insensitive to the antiviral effect of IFN on vaccinia virus, whereas L929 cells were sensitive.