Do the Interferons Act Singly or in Combination?

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Abstract
Our views of interferon production and action have evolved from the simple to the complex. We review evidence that interferon-γ (IFN-γ) may induce a portion of its antiviral activity through the induction of another interferon. This is shown by demonstrating IFN-γ in the supernatant fluids of IFN-γ-treated mouse cells and showing that, under certain conditions, the antiviral activity of IFN-γ in mouse and human cells can be reduced by antibody to IFN-γ or IFN-β, respectively. Induction of mouse spleen, bone marrow, and peritoneal exudate cells also results in their production of IFNs-α and/or -β. In addition, new preliminary data indirectly suggests the presence of IFN-γ in poly(IC):poly(LC)-treated mouse cells. In both of these systems, the maximal antiviral activity appears to develop as a consequence of the induction of a second interferon.