[Interferon production by various means of administering modified poly I-C]

Modified poly(I) . poly(C) induces appreciable amounts of interferon in Macaca rhesus monkeys not only after intravenous but also after intramuscular, endolumbar, and subconjunctival inoculations. The time course and intensity of interferon production after various routes of the induced inoculation were similar. Maximum interferon production was found at the inoculation site, upon topical application the resistance to reinoculation developed after primary inoculation and persisted for 72 hours, After intravenous inoculation of the doses of the inducer tested the resistance to reinoculation of the modified polyribonucleotide developed after two inoculations made at an interval of 24 hours. A minimal interferon-inducing dose of the modified polyribonucleotide was 10 micrograms/kg for mice and 100 micrograms/kg for Macaca rhesus monkeys.