[Biological activity of a new Soviet natural inducer, double-stranded RNA]

Antiviral activity of a two-spiral RNA (ts RNA), a new natural interferon inductor was studied. It was shown that ts RNA extracted from a phage infected E. coli culture was an active inductor of interferon and resistance to infection with the forestspring encephalitis virus experimental animals. In experiments on 10-12 g mice ts RNA administered in a dose of 50 micrograms/mouse 6 hours after the infection induced up to 1280 units/ml of the serum interferon. When the inductor was administered repeatedly, the experimental animals developed hyporeactivity resulting in a marked decrease in interferon production after the 3rd subsequent injection. The most pronounced effect with respect to the forest-spring encephalitis virus was observed when the inductor was administered intraperitoneally in a dose of 20 micrograms/mouse 4 hours before the infection. The protective effect was less pronounced when the inductor was administered 24 and 48 hours before the infection. A two-fold administration of the inductor did not increase the antiviral effect. When the inductor was administered in a dose of 100 micrograms 14 days before the infection, the animals showed an increase in the nonspecific resistance to the infection resulting in a marked antiviral effect.