Interferon effects on Friend leukaemia cells. I. EXpression of virus and erythroid markers in untreated and dimethyl sulphoxide-treated cells.

The effects of low doses (40 to 1000 units/ml) of mouse interferon (IF) on the expression of Friend leukaemia virus (FLV) and globin genes in Friend leukaemia cells (FLC) have been examined. IF blocks production of extracellular virus, but virus antigens accumulate in the cytoplasm. In cells treated with IF at the time of seeding, there is a reduction in the amount of RNA specified by the lymphatic leukaemia virus (LLV) component of FLV; with the same IF dose there is a small but definite stimulation of haemoglobin and globin mRNA synthesis. The effects of IF on LLV gene expression are even more pronounced in dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO)-stimulated LFC. No correlation was found between LLV gene expression and the appearance of erythroid markers.