Analysis of interferon mRNA in human fibroblast cells induced to produce interferon.

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Abstract
The levels of interferon mRNA as a function of interferon induction by poly(rI).cntdot.poly(rC) in human fibroblast cells were determined by RNA hybridization using a cloned .beta. interferon c[complementary]DNA and by translation in Xenopus oocytes. Whereas previous studies analyzed mixtures of interferons, the availability of the cloned .beta. interferon cDNA and the antiserum to purified .beta. interferon has permitted study of the expression of only 1 class (.beta.) of interferon genes. The induction of interferon synthesis depends primarily on the accumulation of interferon .beta. mRNA in the cells and the interferon .beta. mRNA rapidly disappears several hours after its appearance in the cytoplasm. No detectable interferon .beta. mRNA sequences are present in uninduced cells. The degradation of interferon .beta. mRNA in the induced cells requires ongoing protein synthesis; accumulation of interferon .beta. mRNA was observed in the continuous presence of cycloheximide. The interferon .beta. mRNA detected at the early stages of induction is 1100 nucleotides long and its size progressively decreases with time. By the hybridization and the translational assay in Xenopus oocytes, only 1 size of interferon .beta. mRNA and 1 species of .beta. interferon could be identified.