Cellular Control of Interferon Production and Release After Treatment with Poly I:C Inducer

Summary Primary rabbit kidney cells released measurable quantities of extracellular interferon within 2 hr after initiation of induction by poly I:C. This occurrence was accompanied by slow uptake of inducer in minute quantity. There was no preferential uptake of poly I:C by primary rabbit kidney cells compared to that of noninducing polynucleotides and nucleotides. Induced cells produced high concentrations of apparently unbound intracellular interferon which appeared to be the source of extracellular interferon. The dynamics of interferon production in primary rabbit kidney cell cultures induced by poly I:C involved two separate steps, viz., the synthesis of intracellular interferon and the release of this interferon into the extracellular medium. The authors are indebted to Mary-Ellen Davies and Kersti Young for valuable technical assistance.