Inhibition of Growth and Transformation of Human Cells by Interferon 2

Abstract

Interferon (IF) produced in amnion cell cultures inhibited the growth of a line of simian virus 40-transformed human cells. IF was not effective in FL, HeLa, WI-38, untransformed amnion, or L-929 cells. Growth inhibition was short term and could be continued, provided IF-containing medium was renewed. The incomplete inhibition of growth at high IF concentrations implied that only a portion of the cell cycle issensitive. The time interval between exposure to IF and growth reduction was 6 hours. The factor responsible for an inhibition of cell growth appears to be related to the factor responsible for antiviral activity.