Production of immune interferon by an interleukin 2-independent murine T cell line

An interleukin 2-independent murine T cell line (BFS) was isolated that produced immune interferon after stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. The BFS cell line did not produce detectable levels of interleukin 1, interleukin 2, B cell growth factor, macrophage-granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, macrophage-activating factor, or T cell replacing factor. Maximal interferon was induced 48 hr after stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate at 10-100 ng/ml. Production of interferon by phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated BFS cell cultures was synergistically increased by the addition of EL4 thymoma cell culture supernatants. BFS-derived interferon activity was sensitive to pH 2 treatment and was neutralized with antiserum to immune interferon but was resistant to heating at 56 degrees C and to treatment with antiserum to type I interferon. In addition, the interferon activity was sensitive to trypsin but resistant to RNase. BFS-derived interferon had an apparent molecular weight of 48,000 and a pI of 5.5-6.0. Each of these properties is consistent with the conclusion that the BFS cell line produces immune interferon after stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate.