Variation in Interferon Production by Polyoma Virus Strains of Differing Oncogenicity

Abstract

Interferon production in mouse embryo fibroblast cultures infected with the highly oncogenic S variant and the poorly oncogenic M variant of polyoma virus has been studied. Infection of cultures by the M variant was associated with a 4-fold or greater production of interferon by the infected cells. Cultures infected with the S variant, however, produced higher titers of virus. These results may explain several findings such as the differing plaque size of polyoma virus variants of high and low oncogenicity, and suggest a possible relationship between the differing oncogenicity in mice of these virus strains and the variation in interferon production caused by infection of mouse embryo fibroblast cultures by them.