Transformation by murine sarcoma virus alters the sensitivity of clonal cells derived from NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblasts

Virology
|August 1, 1984
PubMed

Insights

Interferon (IFN) shows anti-proliferative effects on virus-transformed mouse cells. IFN treatment restores antiviral activity and enhances 2-5A synthetase induction in these cells.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Virology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblasts yield clones with differing sensitivities to interferon (IFN).
  • Clone A10 is resistant to IFN's anti-lytic-virus activity and deficient in IFN-induced (2'-5') oligoadenylate synthetase (2-5A synthetase).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of IFN on Moloney murine sarcoma virus (MSV)-transformed mouse fibroblast clones (A5 and A10).
  • To assess IFN's impact on cell proliferation, antiviral state, and 2-5A synthetase activity in transformed cells.

Main Methods:

  • MSV infection of A5 and A10 cells to generate transformed cell lines (MA5 and MA10).
  • Treatment of normal and transformed cells with IFN.
  • Assessment of cell growth rate, DNA synthesis, cloning efficiency, and sensitivity to mengovirus and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV).
  • Measurement of 2-5A synthetase activity.

Main Results:

  • IFN exhibited specific anti-proliferative effects on both MA5 and MA10 cells, reducing growth rate, DNA synthesis, and cloning efficiency.
  • IFN-treated MA5 and MA10 cells, unlike original A10 cells, were protected from viral lysis by mengovirus and VSV.
  • IFN treatment inhibited retroviral particle release from transformed cells.
  • IFN induced a four- to fivefold increase in 2-5A synthetase activity in MA10 cells, compared to a less than twofold increase in A10 cells.

Conclusions:

  • IFN exerts significant anti-proliferative and antiviral effects on MSV-transformed mouse fibroblasts.
  • IFN treatment can restore antiviral defense mechanisms, including 2-5A synthetase induction, in transformed cells.
  • These findings highlight the potential of IFN in controlling viral infections and cellular transformation.