Interferon enhances the susceptibility of virus-infected fibroblasts to cytotoxic T cells.
Interferon (IFN) pretreatment of low-passage mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus or vaccinia virus rendered these cells two to three times more susceptible to lysis by H-2 restricted, virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) than control, virus-infected MEF. The increased sensitivity to lysis correlated with increased expression of surface H-2 antigens, but not viral antigens. Continuous cell lines already highly sensitive to CTL-mediated lysis and already expressing high levels of surface H-2 antigens were unaffected by IFN pretreatment. These results suggest that IFN treatment, by increasing surface H-2 levels, may result in increased association of surface H-2 and virus antigens, leading to enhanced recognition and lysis by virus-specific CTL.
Bukowski
J F
JF
Welsh
R M
RM
D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007372:Interferons / Q000502:physiology*; D008216:Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D014615:Vaccinia / Q000276:immunology*
D006183:H-2 Antigens; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D007372:Interferons