EFFECTS OF INTERFERON AND GANGLIOSIDES ON GROWTH OF CULTURED HUMAN GLIOMA AND FETAL BRAIN-CELLS

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 45  (3) , 1033-1039
Abstract
Human .beta.-interferon (IFN) induced an antiviral state in 2 fetal brain and 6 glioma cell lines. The growth-inhibitory effect of IFN was most pronounced on 3 glioblastoma lines and least on fetal brain and oligodendroglioma cells; IFN growth inhibition of 1-schwannoma and 1-anaplastic cell line was intermediate between the 2 other groups. Thus, the growth-inhibitory effect of IFN generally correlated with the degree of anaplasia of the tissue from which the cells were derived. IFN (1000 U/ml) had to be present for 24-48 h to have a significant inhibitory effect on growth of bliomastoma (12-18) cells. Growth inhibition of 12-18 cells exposed to IFN for 3 days persisted for 3 wk. Both sialic acid-N-acetylgalactosamine ganglioside and a mixture of normal human brain gangliosides (50 .mu.M) inhibited growth of fetal brain (CH II) but not glioblastoma 12-18 cells. Preincubation of cells with either sialic acid-N-acetyl-galactosamine or a mixture of gangliosides did not augment the growth-inhibitory effects of IFN on either CHII or 12-18. Gangliosides and IFN may be operating through different mechanisms to cause growth inhibition.